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A SKETCH
THE HISTORY
NEWBURY, NEWBURYPORT, AM) WEST NEWBURY,
FROM 1635 TO 1 845.
BY JOSHUA COFFIN, A. B. S. H. S.
' For out of the old fieldes, as men saithe,
Cometh the new come from yere to yere,
And out of old bookes in good fiuthe
Cometh this new science that men lere.'
CAoucer.
Lives there a man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself nath said,
T hu it my otcn, my native land?'
Scott.
BOSTON:
PUBLISHED BY SAMUEL G. DRAKE,
No. 56 COF.XHILL.
PRINTED BY GEORGE COOLIDGE, NO. 67 WASHINGTON STREET.
1845.
OLD-TOWN MEETING-HOUSE, 1700-1806.
PREFACE.
THOSE who are familiar with ancient mythology, will recollect the story of the
f good Isis who went forth wandering and weeping to gather up the parts and
fragments of her murdered and scattered Osiris, fondly yet vainly hoping that
she might recover and recombine all the separate parts, and once more view
her husband in all his former proportions and beauty.'* With equal assiduity,
but with far less lamentation, has the compiler of 'the following pages been for
many years engaged at intervals, in collecting the scattered fragments of t Quid
Newberry.' and has arranged his imperfect materials in the form which they
now exhibit to the reader. No one can be more sensible than himself, of its
deficiences, its want of symmetry and proportion, which the reader may, if
he chooses, attribute as much to the want of skill in the artist, as to the lack of
* Quarterly Register.
IV PREFACE.
the requisite materials. Throughout the whole of this compilation he has en-
deavored to make a broad distinction between fact and tradition, and to relate
nothing as fact, which he does not believe to be true. Strype in his annals
says, ( I have chosen to set down things in the very words of the records and
originals, and of the authors themselves, (rather than in my own, without
framing and dressing them in more modern language,) whereby the sense is
sure to remain entire as the writers meant it. whereas by affecting too curious-
ly to change and model words and sentences, I have observed the sense itself
to be often marred and disguised.7 This is the course that the compiler has
taken. He has endeavored to give as accurate a representation as possible, of
the character of the inhabitants of Newbury and their transactions, for over two
hundred years, and has been desirous, in the language of Tacitus, i sine ira,
sine studio/ without fear, favor, or affection, neither l to extenuate, nor aught
set down in malice.' He is well aware that his statements in many places do
not agree either with the tradition, or the belief, of many of the inhabitants
of the town, or with history. Where he has been obliged to differ from com-
mon opinion, he has done so for reasons, which to him appeared entirely satis-
factory, and has been pleased to rind that the instances have been very few
where fact and tradition do not substantially agree. It is however much to be
lamented, that so small a number of the first settlers were in the habit of re-
cording the transactions of the day, and that the journals or diaries of those
who made a record, should have been in so many instances lost or destroyed.
Mr. Anthony Somerby, the first school-master of Newbury, the ancestor of all
of that name in this country, and one of our best and most useful citizens,
kept a diary of passing events, as I have been informed by those who have
seen it, but of which no trace can now be found. An aged lady, one of his
descendants, informed me that he versified the whole book of Job. Numerous
instances might be given where valuable papers in large quantities, have
been destroyed, because they were 'so old that nobody could read them.'
4 All are not such,' and among the many persons, who have in various ways
rendered valuable assistance in the compilation of this work, the author can-
not forbear mentioning the names of Messrs. Robert Adams, reverend William
S. Bartlet, Daniel Dole, Moses Davenport, George Danforth, doctor Ebenezer
Hale, doctor E. G. Kelley, Tristram Little, Josiah Little, Moses Petti ngill,
esquire, Horatio G. Somerby, of Boston, and Charles Toppan, of Philadelphia,
to whom he tenders his warmest acknowledgments for the interest they have
manifested in the work, and the aid they have afforded toward its completion,
and to all others not mentioned by name, who have rendered any assistance.
If, as is undoubtedly the case, he has made any mistakes, or omitted any
necessary or valuable information, he will be greatly obliged to any person or
persons, who will correct those mistakes, or supply those omissions, as it is his
intention still to continue to collect information, in order that some future his-
torian may be able to supply his deficiences, and at some future day may pre-
pare a work, which will do justice to the reputation of i Ould Newberry.' The
sources whence the compiler of the present history has derived his materials,
are almost innumerable, and to specify them all, would require a small volume.
The principal are the colonial, province, state, county, town, church, and parish
records. The town records have been well kept, and with the exception of a
few missing leaves of the first book, are full and accurate. The records of the
PREFACE. V
first church commence in 1674, the preceding transactions of the church, having
been to all appearance intentionally destroyed ; a loss very much to be regret-
ted, but which hafc in part been supplied by copious quotations from the county
records. Some persons may suppose, that too many pages are occupied with
the ecclesiastical affairs of the town. li, should be remembered that in no
other way could the peculiar traits in the character of our ancestors be fully
developed. It was the religious doctrines that they had embraced, and the
consequent principles of religious and civil liberty, which they could not enjoy
in their own land, that induced such a company of gentlemen, merchants, and
mechanics, to emigrate from the populous and cultivated towns of their father
land, to this then wilderness, and exchange, as many of them did, the sword,
the awl, the needle, and the yard -stick, for the hoe, the axe, the anvil, and the
plough ; and to omit a sufficient allusion to their religious principles and their
actual development in practice, would be to narrate effects, and not notice the
causes which produced them. No one can justly appreciate the character of
our forefathers, and the sacrifices they made for their posterity, without a knowl-
edge of those principles, which, like a main-spring, set every thing in motion.
But enough has been said on this subject. Our attention for a few pages will
be given to affairs more secular.
The town of Newbury was originally one of the largest towns in the county.
It was about thirteen miles long, and about six miles broad in the widest place,
and contained about thirty thousand acres, of which nearly two thousand are
covered with water.
In 1764, it was divided into two towns, Newbury and Newburyport. In
1771, a province valuation was taken, and in 1781, a valuation was taken by
the state, in which Newbury and Newburyport stood thus.
Newbrny. Newburyport.
750 875 Polls ratable.
10 7 " supported by the town.
75 51 " not supported by the town.
437 430 Dwelling houses.
36 60 Shops separate or adjoining other buildings.
26 38 Tan houses, slaughter houses, &c.
393 210 Barns.
14 45 All other buildings of £ 5 value and upward.
1450 113 1-2 Acres of tillage land.
2380 86 3-4 " of English and upland mowing.
10,802 113 1-2 " of pasturage.
192 7176 Tons of vessels, of 5 tons burthen and upward.
592 £ 74,131 Stock in trade.
341 146 Horses and mares, 3 years old and upward.
562 30 Oxen, 4 years old and upward.
1468 1741 Cows, 4 years old and upward.
645 160 Swine, 6 months old and upward.
318 5149 Ounces of silver plate.
£ 57,726 £ 24,668 Debts due to any persons.
£ 2825 Monies on hand.
Newburyport also in 1781. had ten distil and sugar houses, three jope walks,
VI PREFACE.
thirty-nine ware-houses, and eighty-seven thousand nine hundred superfi-
cial feet of wharf. Newbury also had in 1781, sixteen grist, saw, fulling, and
slitting mills, one thousand one hundred and six acres of fresh meadow, three
thousand one hundred and sixty-seven acres of salt marsh, made one thousand
four hundred and thirteen barrels of cider, had eight hundred and fifty-two acres
of wood land, three hundred and three acres of unimproved land, and thirty-five
acres of land unimprovable, had ten colts, two years old, fourteen colts one
year old, three hundred and one neat cattle three years old, three hundred and
ninety, two years old, three hundred and fifty-five, one year old, and two thousand
three hundred and seventy-six sheep and goats. In 1819, West Newbury was set
off and incorporated as a separate town. The state valuation for 1840, is as fol-
lows :
Newbury. Newburyport. West Newbury.
859 1249 404 Ratable Polls 16 years old and upward.
182 304 32 Male polls not taxed nor supported by the town.
18 56 4 U u u supported by the town.
401 832 301 1-2 Dwelling houses.
6 1 — Rope walks.
3 1 Grist mills.
9 53 4 Shops within, or adjoining to dwelling houses.
74 103 79 other shops.
4 1 Tan houses.
238 4 Ware houses and stores.
6 1 — Rope walks.
4 — Cotton factories, 11.046 spindles, and 280 looms
in the same.
2 1 Woolen factories.
240 800 '— Spindles.
376 318 2195-12 Barns.
80 1-8 161 141 All other buildings and edifices of the value of
$20 and upward.
— 453,812 — Superficial feet of wharf.
2,397 1-2 13,456 Tons of vessels and small craft of 5 tons bur-
then and upward.
2,011 1-2 41 2496 1-2 Acres of English and upland mowing.
346 — 1084 1-2 Acres of fresh meadow.
6,947 3-4 88 1-2 4,084 1-2 Acres of pasturage.
888 1-4 — - 279 Acres of woodland.
201 1-2 — 190 Acres of unimproved land.
The three towns also raised in 1840, eight hundred and eleven bushels of
wheat, one thousand two hundred and forty bushels of rye, six thousand and
seventy-three bushels of oats, fifteen thousand six hundred and thirty-five bush-
els of Indian corn, and three thousand one hundred and sixty-six bushels of
barley. There were also in Newbury, three thousand eight hundred and twenty-
five and one half acres of salt marsh, and two thousand eight hundred and sixty-
five and one half tons of salt hay cut on the same. Newbury also had two
carding machines, two fulling mills, and one and a half saw mills.
Since the first settlement of the town, that part of it now called Newburyport,
PREFACE. V
has witnessed great changes, not only in its business, but in its external appear-
ance. In the printed programme of the procession, which honored general
Washington with an escort in 1789, a conspicuous place was assigned to the
1 distillers,' whg were then a numerous body of men. At that time there were
ten or twelve distilleries in the town, and six rope walks. Now there are but
one of each, and manufacturing, a new and rapidly increasing business, is tak-
ing the place of the West India trade, by which it once rose to great wealth.
In 1796, doctor D wight thus writes :
1 Newburyport is probably the smallest township in the state, including only six
hundred and forty acres. It lies on the . southern shore of the Merrimac. The
town is built on a declivity of unrivalled beauty. The slope is easy and ele-
gant : the soil rich, the streets, except one near the water, clean and sweet ;
and the verdure, wherever it is visible, exquisite. The streets are either paral-
lel, or right angled, to the river ; the southern shore of which bends, here, to-
wards the south east. None of them are regularly formed. Still there is so
near an approximation to regularity as to awaken in the mind of a traveler,
with peculiar strength a wish that the regularity had been perfect. For my-
self I was not a little mortified to see so fair an opportunity of compassing this
beauty on so exquisite a spot finally lost. As it is, however, there are few towns
of equal beauty in this country. . . . The houses taken collectively, make
a better appearance than those of any other town in New England. Many of
them are particularly handsome. Their appendages also unusually neat. In-
deed, an air of wealth, taste and elegance, is spread over this beautiful spot, to
which I know no rival. . . . From the tower of the church belonging to
the fifth Congregation, a noble prospect is presented to the spectator. On the
west and south, spreads an extensive champaign country, ornamented with
good farmers' houses, orchards, and cultivated fields, and varied by a number
of beautiful hills. Behind them rise, remotely, two mountains, finely connect-
ing 'the landscape with the sky. On the north flows the Merrimac, visible
about four miles ; exhibiting two islands in its bosom, near the point, where it
first appears ; and joining the ocean between two sand banks, on which are
erected two movable Light houses. On the North shore stand the towns of
Salisbury and Amesbury. Behind this the country rises gradually, parted into
a variety of eminences ; one of them, which from its appropriation by the sav-
ages, is called Powow hill, particularly handsome. Over all these ascends at
the distance of twenty-five miles, the round summit of Agamenticus. North
eastward, the Isles of Shoals appear at the distance of eight leagues, like a
cloud in the horizon. Eastward the ocean spreads inimitably. At a small dis-
tance from the shore. Plum Island, a wild and fantastical sand beach, is thrown
up by the joint power of winds and waves into the thousand wanton figures of
a snow drift. Immediately beneath is the town itself, which with its churches
and beautiful houses, its harbor and shipping, appears as the proper centre of
this circle of scenery, and leaves on the mind a cheerfulness and brilliancy,
strongly resembling that, which accompanies a delightful morning in May.
1 Newbury contains five parishes, in which are five congregations and a so-
ciety of Friends. It is all settled in plantations, formed especially along the
Merrimac of excellent land under good cultivation. The surface is generally
pleasant, and remarkably so on the borders of the river from some of the emi-
nences.' These eminences, of which the doctor speaks, are principally in
Vlll PREFACE.
West Newbury, and are called Pipe-stave, Crane-neck, Archelaus. Old-town,
and Indian hills. With the exception of the summit of Old-town hill, the land
on all the swells in Newbury, is of the first quality. The Indian-hill farm,
owned by colonel Benjamin Poore, is in a high state of cultivation, and received
in 1843, the premium of two hundred dollars, from the committee of the
agricultural society, who deemed it the best managed farm in the county.
Newbury has also the honor of having the first incorporated academy in the
state, the first toll-bridge, the first chain bridge, the first incorporated woolen
factory; and the first vessel that displayed the American flag in the river
Thames, was the Count De Grasse, commanded by captain Nicholas Johnson,
of Newburyport. Many other interesting facts might be mentioned, for which
I have no room. I will only add, for the information of the reader, that a brief
sketch of the life of doctor John Clark, whose portrait is prefixed to this work,
may be found in Thacher's Medical Biography. See also page 391. The wood
cut of the first parish meeting-house, built in 1700, and demolished in 1806, is
not an exact representation. It was drawn from the recollection of one person,
by another, who never saw it. f The roof was originally constructed with four
gable ends or projections, one on each side, each containing a large window,
which gave light to the upper galleries, where the young people sat. The
children sat on a seat in the alley, fixed to the outside of the pews. Before
the pulpit and deacon's seat, was a large pew containing a table, where sat the
chiefs of the fathers. The turret was in the centre, and the bell was rung and
tolled in the centre of the broad aisle. Originally, the space within was open
to the roof, where were many ornaments of an antique sculpture and wainscot,
and was, in the day of it, a stately building, but long before it was torn down,
a steeple was substituted for the turret, the dormar windows were removed,
and the roof thus made plain,' # as it appears on the third page. The reader
of the following pages, will make the following corrections. Page 244, < June
seventeenth, 1774,' should be placed in 1775. On page 270, for 'captain
Michael Smith,' read l captain Samuel E. Bailey.' On page 363, for * tattle,'
read l cattle.' On page 285, add : reverend Daniel P. Pike, pastor.' Other errors
the intelligent reader will undoubtedly notice, in the following sketch of Ould
Newberry.
* Reverend doctor Popkin.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1635.
1 OULD NEWBERRY,' as it was anciently called, was settled, incor-
porated, and paid its first tax, in the spring of 1635. It derives its
name from Newbury, a town in Berkshire, England, situated in the
south part of the county, on the river Kennet, fifty-six miles west
from London. It was so named in honor of the reverend Thomas
Parker, who had for some time preached in Newbury, England,
before his arrival in America. Till its incorporation in 1635 it was
called by its Indian name, Quascacunqucn, a name, which the
natives gave, riot to the whole territory, (as the word signifies a
' waterfall,') but to < the falls,' on what is now called the river Parker,
on whose banks the first settlers fixed their habitations. As different
dates have been assigned by different persons for the first settlement
of the town, some placing it in 1633, others in 1634, and others in
1635, I will here mention all the facts and assertions I have been
able to find on the subject, and the reasons which induce me to
suppose, that, if any, no permanent settlement was here made till
early in the spring of 1635. In the Newbury records, under the
year 1752, I find the following entry, which, as far as I can learn, is
the origin of all the assertions, any where to be found, that Newbury
was settled in 1633.
1 For religion's sake, as I trust, our forefathers left their native shore; they
bid adieu to their stately buildings and goodly seats, and many of them look a
final farewell of their friends, and shipped themselves and families on board
the ship Hector for New England, and by the grace of God, they arrived in this
wilderness in the year 1633, and this place was then called by the natives
Quascacunquen. Our fathers began with courage to clear, manure, and till
the land ; the Lord was pleased to bless their industry, and the earth brought
forth increase, and also the Lord added to their families and increased their
number; and in the year 1635, on the third month, called May, the great and
general assembly was pleased to incorporate them into a town, and invested
them with town 'privileges, and called the name thereof Newbury; and our
fathers be<?an the year of births and deaths, as by record do appear, on the first
O
10 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
of March; and it hath been so continued, from time to time, until this day. nnd
now, by an act of Parliament, we aiv ordered 1o Itcunr the' year on the iirst of
January, and in humble obedience to the crovrn and dignity, I shall proceed
accordingly; viz. January ye lirst, 1752.
JOSEPH COFFIN, Town Clerk.'
From the preceding statement, any person, without examination,
would be induced to believe that ' our lathers,' the first settlers of
Newbury, all came here in the year 1(333, in the ship Hector. That
this was not the case, we have abundant proof. In the first place,
the word, Hector, the name of the ship in which it is said they came,
is not in the original record, but was inserted there by some subse-
quent hand, and cannot be true, as we have abundant evidence that
a large majority of the lirst settlers of Newbury, came to New Eng-
land at different times and in different ships, between the last of
April, 1634, and July, 1635, as we shall hereafter see. In the next
place, we have no proof that the Hector came to New England till
1636, when Mr. Thomas Milward, who afterward settled in New-
bury, came over as mate of that ship, as will be seen under that
year. It is, however, possible, that the Hector came to New Eng-
land in 1633, as, oat of eight ships that arrived in ' this wilderness '
in that year, the name of one only is not known. In the year 1634,
twenty-two ships arrived in New England. Of these, we know the
names of nearly all, but the name of the Hector is not among them.
Those, therefore, who have supposed that their ancestors came to
Newbury in 1633, in the Hector, must, in the absence of all proof,
place no dependence on the apocryphal tradition, part of -which
has been interpolated by some anonymous writer.
I now proceed to give my reasons for believing, that the territory
which was afterward incorporated by the name of Newbury, was
not settled till the spring of 163o. Possibly, there might have been
a few interloping fishermen, who occupied a part of the coast, and
the banks of the Merrimac and Quascacunqucn during the fishing
season, but who were not among the permanent settlers of Newbury.
Governor Winthrop, in his invaluable History of New- England,
vol. 1, pp. 98, 99, thus writes, under date of seventeenth of January,
1632-3.
i The governor, having intelligence from llie east, that the French had bought
the Scottish plantation near cape Sable, and that the fort and all the ammunition
were delivered to them, and that the cardinal, having the managing thereof, had
sent some companies already, and preparation was made to send many more the
next year, and clivers priests and Jesuits among them — called the assistants to
Boston, and the ministers and captains, and some other chief men, to ad rise
what was lit to be done for our safety, in regard the French were like to prove
ill neighbours. (beinir papists :) at which meeting it was agreed that a plantation
and a fort should forthwith be begun at Natascott, partly to be some block in
an enemy's way, (though it would not bar his entrance.) and especially to pre-
vent an enemy from taking that passage from us ; and also, that a plantation
should be beo'un at Aira warn, (beinir the best place in the land for tillage and
cattle,) least an enemy, finding it void, should possess and take it from us. The
governor's. son, (bein^ one of the assistants.) was to undertake this, and to take
no more out of the hay than t\vo!vo mm : the rest to be supplied at 1h.-« coming
of the next ships.7
HISTORY OF XEWnURY. 11
Referring to this subject, governor Hutchinson remarks:
' Tt appears that the Massachusetts people took possession of the country at a
very critical time. Ricliliri]. in all probability, would have planted his colony
nearer the sun. if he could have found any place vacant. De Monts and com-
pany had acquired a thorough knowledge of the coast from cape Sables beyond
cape Cod in 1604; indeed, it does not appear that they went round or to the
bottom of Massachusetts bav. Had they once gained footing there, they would
have prevented the English.'*
k
From these quotations it is evident, that it was the determination
of the Massachusetts colony, to extend their settlements eastward as
fast as possible, and, as it was of great importance that the first set-
tlers especially should be men of the right stamp, in 1630, Septem-
ber seventh, ' all persons were forbidden,' by the court, ' to plant
within the limits of their patent without leave.' ' A warrant shall
forthwith be sent to Agawam, to command those who are planted
there, forthwith to come away/f Again, the court, April, 1633,
' ordered that no person whatsoever shall go to plant or inhabit at
Agawam, [now Ipswich.] without leave from the court, except those
that are already gone with Mr. John Winthrop, junior, namely,
Mr. [William] Clerk, Robert Coles, Thomas Howlett, John Biggs,
John Gage, Thomas Hardy, Mr. [John] Thorndike,' and three
others, names not given, all of whom had removed to Agawam the
preceding month.
In the course of the year 1G33, eight ships with passengers,
arrived in New England." In 1034 twenty-two ships arrived, of
which six arrived in May, fifteen in June, and one in November.
These ships brought a large number of passengers, who soon found
places to settle. In one of the ships, that arrived in May, came
' Mr. [Thomas] Parker, a minister, and a company with him, being
about one hundred, [and] went to sit down at Agawam, and divers
others of the new comers.' J
So great, in fact, was the influx of emigrants to New England,
that in many places they could not be accommodated. i Those
of Newtown, [now Cambridge,] complained of straitness for want
of land, especially meadow, and desired leave of the court, Mav,
1634. to look out either for enlargement or removal, which was
granted; whereupon they sent men to see Agawam and Merrimack,
and gave out they would remove.' § They, however, went the next
year, (October, 1633,) to Connecticut.
Hubbard, in his history of New England, page 192, states, that
* the plantation at Agawam, was from the first year of its being
raised to a township, [August, 1634,] so filled with inhabitants,
tli at some of them presently swarmed out into another place a little
farther eastward. Mr. Parker was at first called to Ipswich to join
with Mr. Ward ; but he choosing rather to accompany some of his
countrymen (who came out of Wiltshire in England,) to that new
* Hutthinson. vol. 1. page 30. "t General court record.
J Winthrop, vol. 1. page 133. § Winthrop, vol. 1. page 132.
12 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
place, than to be engaged with such as he had not been acquainted
withal before, removed with them and settled at Newbury, which
recess of theirs made room for others, that soon after supplied their
places.'
Now, as it is well known that Messrs. Parker, Noyes, Woodbridge,
and company, did not remove to Quascacunquen till May, 1635,
the inquiry naturally arises why they did not remove to that place
before, especially as Agawam was ' filled with inhabitants,' the
situation of Quascacunquen being one of the best in the country, and
the general court extremely anxious to extend their settlements as
fast as possible. The answer to these questions may be found in
Edward Winslow's ' Hypocrisie Unmasked ; whereunto is added
a Brief Narration, (occasioned by certain aspersions,) of the true
grounds or cause of the first planting of New England,' and so forth ;
lately reprinted in the ' Chronicles of the Pilgrim Fathers of the
Colony of Plymouth,' by reverend Alexander Young, Boston. As
no copy of the original work, which was printed in small quarto in
1646, was to be found in America, Mr. Young procured a transcript
of the work from one in the British Museum. On pages 402, 3, and
4, of that extremely valuable and ably edited collection, I find the
following :
f The next aspersion cast upon us, is, that we will not suffer any that differ
from us never so little, to reside or cohabit with us ; no, not the presbyterian
government, which differeth so little from us. To which I atiswer, our practice
witnesseth the contrary. For 't is well known that Mr. Parker and Mr. Noyce,
who are ministers of Jesus Christ at Newberry, are in that way and so known,
so far as as a single congregation can be exercised in it ; yet never nad the
least molestation or disturbance, and have and find as good respect from magis-
trates and people, as other elders in the congregational or primitive way.7
1 So also 'tis well known that before these unhappy troubles arose in England
and Scotland, there were divers gentlemen of Scotland that groaned under the
heavy pressures of those times, wrote to know whether they might be freely
suffered to exercise their presbyterial government amongst us; and it was
answered affirmatively that they might. And they sending over a gentleman
to take a view of some fit place, a river called Meromeclc, near Ipswich and
Newberry aforesaid, was showed their agent, which he well liked, and where we
have since four towns settled, and more may be for aught I know ; so that there
they might have had a complete presbytery, and u-hither they intended to have
come. But meeting with manifold crosses, being half seas through, they gave over
their intendments ; and as I have heard, these were many of the gentlemen that
first fell upon the late covenant in Scotland.'
Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, vol. 1, page 73, makes a similar
statement, but neither he nor Winslow gives the date of the letter, or
the time when the agent arrived. This deficiency is supplied, not
only by Winthrop, but by the court records. The former, vol. 1,
page 135, says, ' we received letters from a godly preacher, Mr.
Levinston, a Scotchman in the north of Ireland, whereby he signi-
fied that there were many good Christians in those parts resolved to
come hither, if they might receive satisfaction concerning some
questions and propositions, which they sent over.' This was in
July, 1634. The court records for September state, vol. 1, p. 128,
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 13
'it is ordered, that the Scottishe and Irish gentlemen, who intends
to come hither, shall have liberty to sett doun upon any place upp
Merrimack river, not possessed by any.' From all these quotations
it is evident, that the general court, in September, 1634, had granted
to this expected company, through their agent, a township of land
at the mouth of Merrimack river, and ; whither they intended to
have come;' that, after receiving satisfactory answers to their
1 questions and propositions,' they embarked for New England, and,
after performing about one half their voyage, * they gave over their
intendments,' in consequence of the ' manifold crosses ' they met,
and returned home. Now, when it is recollected, that ' the court
had forbidden all persons to plant within the limite of their patent
without leave,' and that the territory nowr called Newbury had
actually been granted to a company of ' good Christians ' who had
1 resolved to come hither,' and that the settlers at Agawam, [Ipswich,]
must have known these facts, the reason is obvious why they neither
took possession of the territory, nor asked permission so to do.
Neither is it at all probable that they had heard of the failure of the
intended expedition till the next spring. The reasons for this opinion
are these. Of the twenty-two ships, which arrived in New England
during the year 1634, one only arrived after June, and that was the
1 Regard,' which came in November. This opinion is corroborated
by the following extract from the Ipswich records, namely:
' December 29th, 1634. It is consented unto that John Perkins, junior, shall
build a ware, [fish trap,] upon the river of QuasycuiiGf. [now river Parker.] and
enjoy the profitts of it. but in case a plantation shall there settle, then he is to
submit himself unto such conditions, as shall by them be imposed.'
This conditional grant certainly implies, that no settlement had
then been commenced, and the probability, that a plantation in that
place would soon be established, when their jurisdiction would of
course cease. There are also other proofs. On the tombstone of
Henry Sewall, now standing in the burying yard of the first parish
in Newbury, is the following inscription.
1 Henry Sewall. sent by his father. Henry .Sewall, in the ship Elizabeth and
Dorcas, arrived at Boston 1634, wintered at" Ipswich, helped begin this plantation
1635, furnishing English servants, neat cattle, and provisions. Married Mrs.
Jane Dummer March 25, 1646. and died May 16. 1700. His fruitful vine, being
thus disjoined, fell to the ground January following. Ps. 27 : 10.'
This inscription was undoubtedly written by his son, judge
Samuel Sewall, in whose diary I find the following. ' Newbury
was planted in 1634. My father has told me so, -who was one of
the first inhabitants.' The reverend Samuel Danforth, 'a great
antiquary,' in his almanac for 1647, states that ' Newbury was begun
in 1634.' Captain Edward Johnson, in his ' Wonder-working
Providence,' written in 1651, states, that ' Messrs. Parker and Noyes
began to build the tenth church at a place called Newbesry in the
latter end of the year 1634.' These apparent contradictions can be
14 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
easily reconciled, if we bear in mind the fact, that the year, with otif
puritan forefathers, began on the twenty-fifth of March, and not on
the first of January, as the custom now is. Not satisfied with
renouncing all rites and ceremonies, not, in their opinion, clearly
warranted by the bible, they attempted a reformation in the calendar
by repudiating the names of the months, and of the days of the
week, as of heathenish origin, and altogether unsuitable to be used
by chris'.ians, for, in the language of Johnson, in his ' Wonder-
working Providence,' ' the practice was designed of purpose to
prevent, the heathenish and popish observation of days, months, and
years, that they may be forgotten among the people of the Lord.'
They also commenced their year in March, the twenty-fifth of
that month being new year's day. In order, however, to accom-
date all tho.se who did not desire this reformation, a double date
was used between January first and March twenty-fifth. Thus
twelfth mo. 1634-5, meant either February the twelfth month, 1634,
or February the second month, 1635, according to the different
opinions of the reader. ' The latter end' of 1634 might mean, and
probably did mean, the time between January first, and March
twenty-fifth, which would then be considered, as the beginning of
1635. From all these considerations, the probability, therefore, is,
tli at. no settlement was made in Quascacunquen, before the year
l()-3o, as it is not probable that the first settlers removed in the depth
of winter, as the land was then, according to all accounts, covered
with a thick and heavy growth of timber. Horses and .carts, as a
means of conveyance, could not then be used, as nothing but a narrow
and winding footpath led from Agawam to Quascacunquen. The
most rational supposition, and one which accords with all the
information we have on the subject, either traditional or recorded,
is, that they, with Henry Sewall, 'wintered at Ipswich,' and made
preparations for a removal in the spring. The first notice we have
of their determination, is given by Winthrop, volume 1, page 160,
in these, words : 'at this general court, [May, 1635,] some of the
chief of Ipswich desired leave to remove to Quascacunquen, to
begin a town there, which was granted them, and it was named
Newberry/ In the colonial records, it is thus noticed.
1 Mai; 6th. 1 635. Quascacunquen is allowed by the court to be a plantation, and
it is referred to Mr. [John] Humphrey. Mr. [John] Endicott, captain [Nathaniel]
Turner, and captain [William] Tra'sk, or any three of them, to set out the
bounds of Ipswich and Quascacunquen, or so much thereof as they can. and
tli;1 name of the said plantation shall be changed, and shall hereafter be called
Newbenry.
•' Further it is ordered, that it shall be in the power of the court to take order
that the said plantation shall receive a sufficient company to make a competent
to\vne.'
From the preceding quotations, it is apparent, that the first inhab-
itants of 'Newberry' obtained 'leave of the general court' to
reniove to Quascacunquen, settled there, and were incorporated as
a township in the spring of 1635. If any persons, prior to that
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 15
period, had commenced a settlement within the territorial limits of
1 ould Newbcrry,' of which we have no positive proof, they must
have been considered as intruders, or ' squatters,' or they supposed,
as in the case of John Perkins, that the northern limit of Agawam
was the river Merriraack. Indeed, we are told that when Agawam.
was settled, in 1633, it was bounded on the north by the Merrimack,
and on the West by Cochichawick, [now Andover.] The jurisdic-
tion of Masconomo, the sagamore of Agawam, extended from
Naumkcag river to the Merrimack. William Wood, in his ' New
England Prospect,' thus speaks : ' Agawam is the best place but one,
which is Merrimack, where is a river twenty leagues navigable.
All along the river side is fresh marshes, in some places three
leagues broad.' ' These two places may contain twice as many
people as are yet in New England, there being as yet scarce any
inhabitants in these two spacious places.' He was in America in
1633, and set sail for England on the fifteenth of August of that
year. At that time we know of thirteen persons only, who were in
Agawam, besides John Winthrop, junior, namely, the twelve who
came with him, and ' Thomas Sellan,' who on 'June eleventh was
admitted as an inhabitant.' There were probably fishermen in
various places on the banks of the Quascacunquen and the Merri-
mac, 'where,' says Wood, 'much [sturgeon] is taken, pickled, and
sent to England, twelve, fourteen, eighteen feet long.' He, as it will
be seen, is not remarkable for his accuracy, either respecting the navi-
gation of the Merrimack, the width of the fresh marshes on its banks,
or the length of the fish in its stream. We will there fore leave him and
return to the first settlers of Newbury. Uniform tradition asserts
that they came by water from Ipswich, through Plum island sound,
and up the river Quascacunquen, [now river Parker,] to the place
they had selected as their future habitation. Tradition asserts that
they landed on the north bank of the river, about one hundred rods
below the spot where the bridge now stands, and that Nicholas
Noyes was the first person who leaped ashore. This company
was few in number, and probably consisted of Mr. Henry Sewall
and servants, William Moody, his wife and four sons, Anthony
Short, Henry Short and wife, ]Mr. John Spencer, IMr. Nicholas
Easton, his wife and son John, Richard Kent, senior, and Stephen
Kent, brothers, with their wives, Richard Kent, junior, and James
Kent, brothers, Mr. Thomas Parker, Mr. John Woodbridge, IMr.
James Noyes, his wife, and brother Nicholas Noyes, Thomas
Brown, Richard Brown, George Brown, Mr. James Browne and
wife, Thomas Coleman, Franc-is Plumer and wife, with his two
sons Joseph and Samuel, with a few others, whose names are not
known with certainty. For a short time the business of the town
was transacted in committee of the whole, but the population
increasing rapidly, fifteen ships with passengers, having arrived in
June, one in August, one in November, and one in December,
bringing with them many families, who immediately settled in
Newbury, ; the plantation' soon received ;a suliicien! company to
16 HISTORY OF NEWBUEY.
make a competent toune,' according to the order of the general
court, which in the same month, May, 1635, ordered the same men,
namely, Humphrey, Endicott, Turner, and Trask, to set out a farm
for Mr. Dummer, about the falls of Newberry, not exceeding the
quantity of five hundred acres, provided it be not prejudicial to
Newberry.' At the same time ' liberty was granted to Mr. [Richard]
Dummer and Mr. [John] Spencer, to build a mill and weire at the
falls of Newberry, to enjoy the said mill and weire with such privi-
leges of ground and timber as is expressed between them and the
toune, to enjoy to them and their heires forever.'^ The court also
ordered that ' no dwelling hous.e shall be built above a half mile
from the meeting house in any new plantation, without leave from
the court, except mills and farm houses of such as have their
dwellings in toun.' ' John Humphrey, esquire, and captain Turner,
were ordered to set out the bounds between Salem and Ipswich, and
Ipswich and Newbury, before midsummer next, and also to view,
and inform the next general court if there may not be another
toune settled conveniently betwixt them, and it is agreed that the
bounds of said tounes shall be six miles apiece into the country.'
At the same court, [May, 1635,] 'it was ordered, that Mr. [Richard]
Dummer, and Mr. Bartholomew, shall set out a convenient quan-
tity of land within the bounds of Newberry, for the keeping of the
sheep and cattle that came over in the Dutch shipps this yeare, and
to belong to the owners of said cattle.' These 'owners' were
Richard Saltonstall, Richard Dummer, Henry Sewall, and ' divers
other ' gentlemen in England.' With the exception of the lands
above mentioned, the first settlers of 'ould Newberry,' granted,
surveyed, and settled the lands according to their own judgment.
For a short time, a year or more, the business of the township was
transacted in committee of the whole. Mr. John Woodbridge was
chosen their first town clerk, and Richard Kent and Henry Short,
lot layers. All their records pertaining to grants of land, are full
and complete, having been very accurately copied into a new set of
books, now called the ' Proprietors' Books,' which for many years
have been kept separate from the town records. As there are a few
leaves wanting in the first volume of the transactions of the town,
the deficiency in that respect, must be supplied from other sources.
In the records of the court at Salem, I find the following.
c I John Pike do testifie that I was present at the gathering of the church at
Newbury, and I did hear our reverend pastor preach a sermon on the eighteenth
of Matthew, seventeenth verse ; i And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it
unto the church : but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as
an heathen man and a publican,' wherein he did hould forth that the power of
discipline belonged to the whole church, yt the matter of the church ought to be
visible saints joyned or gathered together, that the manner of their joyning
together ought to be by covenant, yt the end of it is for the exercisinge and
enjoyinge of the ordinances of Christ togeather. He strongly proved his doc-
trine by many places of the scripture, both in the old and new testament. The
* Court records, page 152.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 17
\vhirh sermon togeather with the scriptures did much instruct and confirme us
in that waye of church discipline which as I understood he then preached for
namely, the congregational waye, some noates of the said sermon, which 1
then took from his mouth I have here ready to shew if you please. The ser-
mon being ended the brethren joyned together by express covenant, and being
joyned they chose their pastor, Mr. Parker, who accepted the call, and joyned
with them" according to the covenant aforesaid ; and those that afterward joyned
to the church, consented to the said covenant explicit. The brethren of the church
acted in these admissions of ye members, expressing their voats therein by lifting
up the hande, and soe continued together lovingly a considerable number of
yeares untill other doctrine began to be preached amongst us.'
1 Per me JOHN PIKE.
c Sworne in court, 30 March, 1669.
/Robert Pike also testifies that the meeting was on the sabbath and in the
open air under a tree.'
'At the same time that Mr. Parker was chosen pastor, Mr. James Noyes was
chosen teacher.'
Similar testimonies were given by John Emery and Thomas
Browne. The cause of these testimonies' being given, was a con-
tention in the church, which was carried to the court at Ipswich, as
will be seen under the years 1669, 1671, and 1672. They give us
the place and the manner in which the church was formed, but not
the time. It could not have been earlier than the month of June, as
John Pike, Robert Pike, and John Emery, did not arrive in New
England till that month. Tradition states that Mr. Parker preached
his first sermon under the branches of a majestic oak, which stood
on the north bank of the river, about one hundred yards below
where the bridge now stands, and which, like the auditory it once
shaded, has long since crumbled into dust. Under the same tree,
probably, the church was gathered, and their spiritual guides set
apart .by them for their appropriate work. A meeting-house was
also built. That, tradition informs us, stood on the lower green, a
few rods northwest from the spot where captain Enoch Plumer's
house now stands. The first grave yard was near it, as appears
by a petition to the general court in or about the year 1647.
A house for the ministers was built, a large number of house lots,
planting lots, and meadow lots were granted. How many houses
were erected and how many families were in Newbury during the
first year, there is no record to inform us. Houses were erected on
both sides of the river Parker, and on Kent's island, and as then
meadow land was very valuable, and in fact almost essential to their
very existence as a support for their cattle, many were built on the
margin of the meadows, not only on the banks of the river Parker,
then called i the Great river,' but also on the banks of the < Little
river,' as far as Trotter's bridge, and in various other places, so that
in a very short time the law prohibiting any person from erecting ' a
dwelling house above half a mile from the meeting-house without
leave of the court,' was entirely disregarded. The principal settle-
ment was around the meeting-house on the lower green, and there
was to be, as the first settlers supposed, the future commercial
metropolis of Newberry. During this year sir Henry Vane and
3
18 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
reverend Hugh Peter arrived in Massachusetts, grand juries were
established by law, the circulation of brass farthings was prohibited,
and musket bullets were to be used instead. This year, August fif-
teenth, i about midnight the wind came up at northeast, having blown
hard at south and southwest the week before, and blew with such
violence with abundance of rain that it blew down many hundreds
of trees, overthrew some houses, drave ships from their anchors.
In the same tempest a bark of Mr. Allerton's was cast away upon
cape Ann, and twenty-one persons drowned. Among the rest, a
Mr. Avery, a minister in Wiltshire, with his wife and six small
children, was drowned.' ' This Mr. Avery,' says Cotton Mather,
* went to. Neiuberry, intending there to settle, but being urged by
magistrates and ministers to settle in Marblehead, he embarked with
his own family, and his cousin Mr. Anthony Thacher's, all of
whom were lost except Mr. Thacher and his wife.'
The ship angel ' Gabriel,' in which came passengers John Bailey,
senior, and John Bailey, junior, who afterward settled in Newbury,
was 4 lost at Pemaquid,' now Bristol, in Maine, and ' the Dartmouth
ships cut all their masts at St. George.' ' The tide rose at Narra-
ganset fourteen feet higher than ordinary and drowned eight Indians
flying from their wigwams.' ^ ' The effects of this tempest, one of
the most violent and destructive probably that the country has ever
experienced, were visible,' says Morton in his Memorial, i many
years.'
In September of this year the court assessed £200 on the towns
in the colony. Of this rate Newberry paid £7 10s., Ipswich £14,
Salem £16, Charlestown £15, Boston £25 10s., and so forth.
In the court records, under date of November, 1635, is the follow-
ing, namely :
f Whereas Thomas Coleman hath covenanted with Richard Saltonstall and
divers other gentleman in England and here for the keeping of certain horses,
bulls and sheepe in a general stock for the space of three years, and now since
his coming hither hath been exceedingly negligent in discharging the trust
committed to him, absenting himselfe for a long time from the said cattle and
neglecting to provide something for them, by reason whereof many of the said
cattle are dead already and more damage likely to accrue to the said gentlemen :
it is therefore ordered that it shall be lawful for the said gentlemen to divide
the oates and hay provided for said cattell among themselves, and soe every one
take care of their own during the winter.'
The tract of land, which was set apart as the place for pastur-
ing these cattle, was near the falls of Newbury. Of this land, Mr.
John Spencer had a mill lot of fifty acres, Mr. Richard Dummer
three hundred acres, Mr. Henry Sewall five hundred acres, Mr. John
Clark four hundred acres, ' beginning at the mouth of cart creek.'
Of Mr. Henry Sewall we are told in the life f of his son, judge
Samuel Sewall, « Mr. Cotton would have him settle in Boston, but
he preferring an inland situation on account of his cattle, he re-
* Winthrop, vol. 1, pp. 165, 166. t Quarterly Register, February, 1841.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 19
moved to Newberry.' How lars:e the number was who owned stock
in the cattle community, and which was so soon dissolved by the
negligence of shepherd Coleman, we have no means of knowing.
All we know is that there were ' divers gentlemen,' not only here,
but 'in England,' each of whom soon found that he could best take
care of ' his owne cattle.' lu the division of the land throughout
the town, the first settlers recognized the scripture rule, ' to him that
hath shall be given,' and the wealth of each of the grantees, as well
as others of the first settlers, can be very nearly estimated, by the
number of acres of land, which were granted them.^ This was
according to the rule agreed upon in London, in 1 629, by c the assist-
ants of the company,' who settled Massachusetts. They gave to
each adventurer two hundred acres for every d£50 he put into the
common stock, and so in proportion. < Such adventurers as send over
any person, were to have fifty acres for each person, whom they
send.' Every person, who transported himself and family to New
England at his own expense, should have fifty acres.
This year, second of September, ' Francis Plumer was licensed
to keep an ordinary,' f that is, a tavern. •
Mary Brown, daughter of Thomas BrowTn, the first white child
born in Newbury. was born this year. May thirteenth, 1656, she was
married to Peter Godfrey, and, 'having had a good report as a maid,
a wife and a widow,' she died April sixteenth, 1716, in her eighty-
first year.
1636-
This year the general court enacted, that ( every particular town-
ship should have power over its own affairs, and to settle mulcts
upon any offender, upon any public order not exceeding twenty
shillings," and liberty to chuse 'prudential men, not exceeding seven,
to order the affaires of the towne.'
The town of Newbury, availing itself of this privilege, chose, l by
papers,' the following men, namely : !NIr. Edward Woodman, Mr.
John Woodbridge, Henry Short, Mr. Christopher Hussey, Richard
Kent, Richard Brown, and Richard Knight. They were at first called
by the name of ' the seven men,' then ' towne's men,' then ' towne's men
select,' and finally ' select men,' as they are still called. They 'were
chosen,' says the reverend Richard Brown, in his diary, 'from quarter
to quarter by papers to discharge the business of the town, in taking
in, or refusing any to come, into town, as also to dispose of lands
and lots, to make' lawful orders, to impose fines on the breakers of
orders, and also to levy and distrain them, and were fully impow-
ered of themselves to do what the town had power for to do. The
reason whereof was, the town judged it inconvenient and burden-
some to be all called together on every occasion.'
About this time it is probable the town made some regulations
* See appendix, A. t Colonial records.
20 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
concerning the manner, in which their town meetings or meetings
of the ' freemen ' should be held. As the town records are lost prior
to the tenth of June, 1G37, and as the manner of proceeding in the
neighboring towns was essentially the same, the following from the
Salisbury records will supply the deficiency :
In the year 1640 the town ' ordered that in the first of every
meeting there shall be a moderator chosen by the companie. He
shall have power to interrupt and call to accompt any that shall
exceed in speaking and in case of fayling herein he shall be fyned
at the discretion of the companie, and in case the moderator shall
refuse so to doe he shall for such offence pay two shillings ^tnd
sixpence; Also that every freeman shall speak by turne, and not
otherwise, and shall signifie when he is to speak by rising or putting
off his hatt, and his speech being ended, shall signifie it by putting
on his hatt or sitting downe, and in case he be interrupted by the
moderator and shall refuse to cease shall forfeit for every such offence
one shilling. Also that no person shall depart from meeting without
leave on the like penalty/
In Hampton, New Hampshire, the regulations adopted in 1641
were somewhat different.
4 1. The moderator was to be chosen at the end of every meeting
for the next succeeding one. 2. The moderator, if the elders were
not present, was to open the meeting with prayer. 3. He was then
to state some proposition or call on some one to do it. 4. When
any person addressed the moderator he was to stand up or put
off his hat, and no other person was to speak at the same time,
or be talking of any other thing (when a matter is in agitation)
within the meeting roome. The clerk was to call over the ' freemen '
and note the absent.'
Such substantially were the rules and regulations, adopted by the
first settlers of Newbury in their town meetings, as will in part ap-
pear hereafter.
This year ' another windmill was erected at Boston, and one at
Charlestown ; and a watermill at Salem, and another at Ipswich, and
another at Newbury.' ^
This mill, the first erected in Newbury, was built at ' the falls,' on
the river Parker, by Messrs. Dummer and Spencer, in accordance
with the grant from the general court, and an agreement with the
town in 1635.
February eleventh, Newbury neck was leased to Richard Dummer
for two years.
This year, the general court passed the following sumptuary law,
to which, and other similar laws, allusion will be frequently made.
* No person after one month shall make or sell any bone lace or other lace to
be worne on any garment upon pain of five shillings the yard for every yard so
made or sold, or set on, provided that binding or small edging laces may be
used on garments or linen.'
* Winthrop, vol. 1, p. 196.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 21
Joshua Woodman, son of Mr. Edward Woodman, was the first
white male child born in Newbury. He died the thirtieth of May,
1703, in his sixty-seventh year.
This year, the third of March, the general court laid a tax of .£300
on Massachusetts, of which Newbury was to pay £11 5s., Salem
£24, and Boston £37 10s., and 'ordered that courts in Essex county
should be held quarterly, two in Salem, one in Ipswich to which
Newbury shall belong.'
May twenty-fifth, ' Newbury men were fined sixpence apiece for
choosing and sending a deputy to the court, who is no freeman.' ^
iNIilitary men were to be ranked in three regiments, of which one
is to consist of Saugus, Salem, Ipswich, and Newbury. Mr. John
Spencer was chosen captain for Newbury. Mr. Richard Dummer
and Mr. John Spencer were chosen magistrates.
In the month of March, 16ai, ' Mr. [John] Endicott of Salem
was called ' before the court ' to answer for defacing the cross in
the ensign ; but, because the court could not agree about the thing,
whether the ensigns should be laid by, in regard that many refused
to follow them, the whole cause was deferred till the next general
court ; and the commissioners for military affairs, gave order in the
mean time, that all the ensigns should be laid aside.1 f
At the next court, Mr. Endicott was ordered to be ' sadly admon-
ished ' for cutting the cross out of the king's colors, ' and to be
disabled for one year from bearing any publick office.' He was
instigated to do this by Roger Williams, who considered it as
c a relique of antichristian superstition.' In 1635, each military
company was to have colors, the cross to be left out. The objec-
tion to the cross in the ensign, was, that it was idolatrous and sinful.
It was deemed of so much consequence, that ' the ministers
promised to take pains about it, and to write into England to have
the judgments of the most wise and godly there.' In this state of
feeling, Mr. ' Thomas Milward, mate of the ship Hector,' and who
was afterward one of the proprietors of Newbury, ' spake to some
of our people aboard his ship, [June, 1636,] that we had not the
king's colours at our fort, we were ah1 traitors and rebels,' and so forth.J
Such language could not, in the opinion of our fathers, be tolerated.
He was accordingly sent for, the words proved against him, and he
committed. He was discharged on signing the following submis-
sion, which may be found in the colonial records, 1, 179.
' Whereas I, Thomas Millerd have given out most false and reproachful
speeches against his majesty's loyal and faithful subjects dwelling in the Mas-
sachusetts Bay in America, saying that they were all traitors and rebels and
that I would affirm so much before the governor himselfe, which expressions I
do confess (and so desire may be conceived) did proceed from the rashness and
distemper of my own brain, without any just ground or cause, so to think or
speak, for which my unworthy and sinful carriage being called in question, I do
justly stand committed. My humble request thereforels, that upon this my full
and ingenuous recantation oJ this my gross failing, it would please the governor
* See appendix. t Winthrop, vol. 1, p. 156. \ Winthrop, vol. 1, pp. 187, 1S8.
22 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
and the rest of the assistants to accept of this my humble submission to pass by
my fault7 and to dismiss me from farther trouble and this my free and voluntary
confession I subscribe with my hand this ninth June 1636.
'THOMAS MILLERD.'
Shortly after this, Mr. Millerd moved to Newbury, and became
one of the proprietors of the town. He is called in our records
( Mr. Thomas Mil ward, mariner.' This scruple concerning the use
of the cross in the colors, continued many years, as we shall hereafter
show. The whole country was agitated by the controversy, and in
addition to this, the theological difficulties, and prosecutions growing
out of the ' revelations ' of Mrs. Hutchinson, ' that master-piece of
woman's wit,' as Johnson calls her, began to create a great excitement.
The Pequods, about this time, were beginning to be troublesome,
and i cattle,' says Winthrop, ' were grown to high rates ; a good cow
cost £25 or £30 ; a pair of bulls or oxen, £40. About thirty ploughs
were used in Massachusetts this year, and much rye was sown.'
In November, the town ordered, that 'John Woodbridge should
have £5 a year and be free from all rates and payments, while he is
the towne register.' * The general court empowered Richard Dum-
mer and John Spencer to build a house at Winnicowett at the ex-
pence of the colony. The architect was Nicholas Easton who soon
after removed to Newport and built the first English house there.
The house at Winnicowett was called the Bound- House,' and was
situated in what is now called Seabrook.^
1637.
In April, one hundred and sixty men, under the command of
captain Stoughton, were raised to go against the Pequods. Of this
number Newbury raised eight, Ipswich seventeen, Salem eighteen,
Lynn sixteen, and Boston twenty-six. It will serve to give the
reader some idea of the all-pervading influence of the theological
discussions, which were then agitating the whole community, 1o
inform him, on the authority of Neal, that, these very troops deemed
it necessary to halt on their march to Connecticut, in order to decide
the question, whether^ they were under a covenant of grace or a
covenant of works, deeming it improper to advance till that momen-
tous question was settled. These soldiers were to have twenty
shillings per month, lieutenants £4, and captains £6. In May Mr.
John Spencer was discharged from being captain. This was
probably owing to his religious tenets, he being an adherent of
Mrs. Hutchinson. ' Mr. Edward Woodman was chosen lieutenant,
and Mr. John Woodbridge, surveyor of the armes at Newbury.'
In the same month the election was held at Newtown, (now
Cambridge,) in the open air. Then the law required all the
1 freemen ' from all the towns in the province, to meet at the general
* Belknap, vol. 1, p. 38.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 23
court of elections, and choose the magistrates, including the gover-
nor and lieutenant governor. This practice continued till 1663.
In order to prevent the re-election of sir Henry Vane as governor,
and to strengthen the friends of governor Winthrop, Henry Sewall,
junior, Nicholas Noyes, Robert Pike, Archelaus Woodman, Thomas
Coleman, Thomas Smith, James Browne, John Cheney, Nicholas
Holt, and John Bartlett, went from Newbury to Cambridge on foot,
(forty miles.) qualified themselves to vote by taking the freeman's
oath^ seventeenth of May, 1637, or, in other words, * were made
freemen.' ^ Winthrop was chosen governor, and sir Henry Vane
and the friends pf Mrs. Hutchinson were in a minority.
On the morning of May twenty-sixth, the fort of the Pequods
was attacked with fire and sword, and their whole tribe, four or five
hundred in number, extinguished, in that and the subsequent
attack by captain Stoughton the latter end of June.
In August, a synod of ministers, messengers of churches, and
magistrates, was held in Newtown, (Cambridge,) and condemned
above eighty erroneous opinions. The general court then took up
the business, and proceeded to disfranchise, or banish, or disarm,
many of those who held these erroneous opinions. ' A great
number,' says Hutchinson, 'removed out of the jurisdiction.' The
court ordered about sLxty of the inhabitants of Boston to be
disarmed, and several of other towns; among them were three
belonging to Newbury, Mr. Richard Dummer, Air. John Spencer,
and Mr. Nicholas Easton. Spencer returned to England, Easton
went to Rhode Island, but Dummer remained in Newbury. In
June, two ships arrived with passengers. With them came Mr.
Hopkins, I\Ir. Eaton, and Mr. Davenport, and many others, of good
note. • Great pains were taken to induce them to settle in Massa-
chusetts. ' The court offered them any place they would pitch
upon.' ' The town of Newbury offered to give up their settlement
to them,' but they chose to remove to Connecticut, where they
built New Haven, and so forth.
' It was ordained in a lawful meeting, November fifth, that
whosoever is admitted into the towne of Newbury as an inhabi-
tant thereof, shall have the consent and approbation of the body of
freemen of sayd towne.' f
' The seven men, mentioned in 1636, were again chosen by
papers,' were desired to serve 'for one quarter longer and shall
labor in the case according to what the Lord shall direct to doe
according to what is prescribed/ if
The preceding directions to the selectmen, remind me of the
following extract, which may be found in Friend's records, in
Rockingham county, New Hampshire.
'Hampton, 1707. This meeting not having unity with John Collins7 testi-
mony desires him to be silent till the Lord speak by him to the satisfaction of the
meeting.'
* Judge Sewall's diary. f Town record. J Town record.
24 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
In October, Richard Singleterry, William Palmer, John Moulton,
Thomas Moulton, Nicholas Busbee, and Abraham Toppan, were
admitted as inhabitants of Newbury. The following is a specimen
of the form of admission.
( Abraham Toppan being licensed by John Endicott esqr. to live in this
jurisdiction was received into the towne of Newberry as an inhabitant thereof
and hath heere promised under his hand to be subject to any lawful order, that
shall be made by the towne.' *
ABRAHAM TOPPAN.
In the same month, fourteen individuals were fined £4 155. l for
defect of fences whenever they shall be called on.' ^
' In September, William Schooler, a vintner from London, was
hanged in Boston for an alleged murder. He lived with another
fellow at Merrimack, and there being a poor maid at Newbury, one
Mary Sholy, who had desired a guide to go with her to her master,
who dwelt at Pascataquack, he enquired her out and agreed for fifteen
shillings to conduct her thither. But, two days after, he returned,
and being asked why he returned so soon, he answered that he had
carried her within two or three miles of the place, and then she would
go no further. Being examined by the magistrates at Ipswich, and
no proof found against him, he was let go. About half a year after,
the body was found by an Indian ten miles short of the place he
said he left her in. About a year after, he was again apprehended,
examined, arraigned, and condemned,' f on circumstantial evidence.
In November, the church petitioned the general court for relief,
who passed the following order, namely :
1 November 2rf, 1637. Whereas it appeareth unto this court that the inhabitants
of the towne of Newbury owe divers persons neare the sum of £60, which hath
been expended upon publick and needful occasions for the benefit of all such
as do, or shall, inhabit there, as building of houses for their ministers &c. whereas
such as are of the church there are not able to bear the whole charge and the
rest of the inhabitants there do or may enjoy equal benefit thereof with them,
yet they do refuse against all right and justice to contribute with them. It is
therefore ordered that the freemen of the said towne or such of them as shall
assemble for that end, or the greater number of them, shall raise the said sum
of £60 by an equal or proportionable rate of every inhabitant there, having
respect both to land or other personal estate, as well of such as are absent, as of
those dwelling there present, and for default of payment shall have power to
levy the same by distress and sale thereof by such persons as they shall appoint,
and the same being so collected shall satisfy their said debts, and if any remain-
der be, the same to be employed on other occasions by the towne.7 $
November. l The inhabitants of Newbury haveing been moved
to leave their plantation, the court granted them Winnicowet, [now
Hampton,] or any other plantation upon the Merrimack below the
first falls, and to have six miles square, and those that are now
inhabitants and shall remove within one yeare, shall have three
yeares immunity, (as Concord hath,) the three yeares beginning the
first of first month next, namely, March first, 1638.' f
* Town record. t Winthrop. | Colonial records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. J/ 25
1638.
January ISfh. c The lease of the neck of land to Mr. Dummer
for two years being expired, the towne doth take it into their own
hands and intendeth to dispose of it at their pleasure.' =fc
* It was ordered that Richard Knight, James Brown and Richard
Kent shall gather up the first payment of the meetinghouse rate and
the towne rate within one fourteenight on the penalty of six shillings
and eight pence apiece.' ^
February 1st. ' John Emery shall make a sufficient pound for
the use of the towne two rod and a halfe square by the last of the
present month if he cann.' ^
' It is agreed that Mr. \Voodman shall have a house lott between
Mr. Eastoii's and the river provided that if there shall be a fort
built by the waters side hereafter that then his lott shall give way.'^
February 24th. ' It was voted, that Thomas Cromwell, Samuel
Scullard, John Pike, Robert Pike, and Nicholas Holt, are fined two
shillings and sixpence apiece for being absent from towne meeting
at eight o' clock in the morning, having due and fitt warning.' *
' Having taken into serious consideration the weight of managing
all publick affaires and being desirous that those whom God
hath fitted and icho necessarily are called forth unto such publick
services, may not be overburdened with expense of time and other
charges, which necessarily attend such publick busynesses, but
rather should be encouraged to the end that they may bear that
burden, and faithfully discharge that service to which they are called,
and considering likewise the practice of other townes and places in
this government in putting their shoulders to help bear up and
sustain this common worke, either in person or estate, or both, wee
have therefore thought fitt to settle some way and course in this
behalfe to the end that such publick busynesses may be carried on
without murmuring by any, who shall be appointed thereunto, and
have for the present thought fitt that those, who are sent for deputyes
and grand jurors shall be allowed two shillings and sixpence, for
foure dayes. in which they goe and returne, and twelve pence a day
for every other day, which they necessarily attend towne's sen-ice,
if the county find the charges of diett, otherwise more as shall be
thought fitt upon due consideration.' ^
April 14th. i It is ordered that Richard Brown, the constable,
shall cause a sufficient pound to be made by the twenty-first of this
moneth to impound swyne and other cattell, in the place, that shall
be shewed him and of that largeness which shall be thought fitt.'
April 19th. Two constables and two < surveyors of the high
waves ' were chosen ' for one whole yeere.'
^This,' says \Vinthrop, * was a very hard winter. The snow lay
half a yard deep about the Massachusetts from November fourth to
* Town records.
26 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
March twenty-third, and a yard deep beyond Merrirnack and so the
more north, the deeper.'
April 2lst. ' Henry Short, John Cheney, Francis Plumer, Nicholas
Noyse, and Nicholas Holt are fined two shillings and sixpence
apiece for being absent from the towne meeting, having lawful
warning, and so forth.' #
It was ordered that ' Nicholas Batt shall keep the herd of cows '
eight months from the sixteenth of March till the sixteenth of
November for eighteen pounds, ' nine pounds in money ' and forty
bushels of corne, ' provided he is to keep them one Lord's day, and
the towne, two.' ^
May 5th. ' It is ordered that John Pike shall pay two shillings
and sixpence for departing from the meeting without leave and
contemptuously.' %•
William Morse was the keeper of the ' towne's heard of goates,'
and, 4 as part of his wages,' he was to have three pence for every
goate above a yeere old,' and Nicholas Batt was to have twenty-two
pence for every cow or heifer either in money or corn at seven
shillings the bushel.'
June 1st. ' Being this day assembled to treat or consult about
the well ordering of the affairs of the towne, about one of the
clocke in the afternoone, the sunn shining faire, it pleased God
suddenly to raise a vehement earthquake coming with a shrill clap
of thunder, issuing as is supposed out of the east, which shook the
earth and the foundations of the house in a very violent manner to
our great amazement and wonder, wherefore taking notice of so
great and strange a hand of God's providence, we were desirous of
leaving it on record to the view of after ages to the intent that all
might take notice of Almighty God and feare his name.' f
June 19th. ' It is agreed that Richard Singleterry and William
Allen shall have each of them four acres of planting ground 011
Deer island, provided the island be not [over? ] twelve acres.'
1 The court having left it to the liberty of particular townes to
take order and provide according to their discretion for the bringing
of armes to the meeting house, it is for the present thought fitt and
ordered that the town being divided in four several equal parts, sayd
part shall bring compleat armes according to the direction of those,
whom the towne hath appointed to oversee the busynesse in order
and manner as folio weth, namely, John Pike, Nicholas Holt, John
Baker, and Edmund Greenleafe being appointed as overseers of
the busynesse, are ordered to follow this course, namely. They
shall give notice to the party of persons under their severall divisions
to bring then: armes compleat one Sabbath day in a month and the
lecture day following in order successively one after another and the
* Town records.
t Town records. ' It came,' says Winthrop, f with a noise like continued thunder,
or the rattling of coaches in London. The noise and shakings continued about four
minutes.' ' The course of it,' says Hutchinson, ' was from west to east. It shook the
ships, threw down the tops of chimnies, and rattled the pewter from the shelves.' 'This
was a very great earthquake and shook the whole country.'
O^r
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 27
persons afore mentioned shall cause every person under their severall
divisions to stand sentinell at the doores all the time of the publick
meeting every one after another either by himself in person or by a
sufficient substitute to be allowed by the overseer of the ward. And
further it is ordered that the sayd overseers shall diligently mark and
observe any that shall be defective in this respect, having lawfull
warning, and they together with the surveyour of the armes shall
collect or distrain twelve pence for every default according as hath
been thought fitt by order of the court in this case provided.' *
Trumbull, in his McFingal, thus alludes to this practice of the
early settlers in Connecticut, as well as Massachusetts :
1 So once, for fear of Indian beating,
Our grandsires bore their guns to meeting ;
Each man equipped on Sunday morn
With psalm book, shot, and powdei horn,
And looked in form, as all must grant,
Like th' ancient true church militant,
Or fierce like modern deep divines,
Who fight with quills like porcupines.'
July 6th. * Whereas there hath bin notice taken of much disorder
in publick towne meeting by reason of divers speaking at one and
the same time, some walking up and -downe, some absent, and
divers other miscarriages, it is henceforth ordered that if any person
shall offend against any order prescribed in this case, there shall |be
exact notice of such offence in this respect, and hee shall be
censured accordingly.' *
* Mr. Woodman, Mr. Rawson, Abraham Toppan and John Knight
were chosen [selectmen] for one whole quarter and till new be
chosen.'
4 There is granted to goodman Goffe some fresh marsh, where
Richard Kent mowed hay on this side of Mr. Greenleaf 's farme,' and
so forth.
August 6th. l Whereas it is agreed with Mr. Richard Dummer of Newbury
by the persons, whose names are underwritten, hereunto subscribed that in case
Mr. Dummer doe make his mill fitt to grynd corne and doe maintaine the same,
as also doe keep a man to attend gryndirig of corne, then they for their part will
send all the corne that they shall have ground and doe likewise promise that all
the rest of the towne (if it'lye in their power to promise the same) shall also
bring their come from tyme to tyme to be ground at the same mill. And it is
further agreed that (the aforementioned conditions being observed by Mr.
Dummer) there shall not any other mill be erected within the sayd towne.
EDWARD* WOODMAN.
JOHN KNIGHT.
EDWARD RAWSON.
RICHARD BROWN.
HENRY SHORT.'
To this the town agreed and assented, at a public meeting, October
sixth, 1638.
* Town records.
28 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
August Wth. ' Thomas Hale and John Baker are appointed hay
wards till the town shall appoint new.' ^
4 The towne hath appointed that a rate of twenty-six pounds
shall be made speedily and gathered within one fourteenight for the
finishing of the meeting house.' f
4 At a general towne meeting, twenty-eighth of September, 1638,
it was granted that Mr. [doctor] Clarke in respect of his calling should
be freed and exempted from all publick rates either for the county or
the towne so long as he shall remayne with us and exercise his
calling among us.' #
November 19th. A rate of twenty-six pounds was ordered to be
made l for the officers,' [that is, ministers,] ' rating all lands as they
are divided at ten pence or five pence the acre.' ^
4 It is ordered that Edward Rawson shall supply the place of Mr.
Woodbridge and be the publick notary and register for the towne
of Newbury and whilst he so remains, to be allowed by the towne
after the rate of five pounds per annum for his paynes.' *
May Tilth. * Newbury was fined six shillings and eight pence for
defects in the roads.' f
1 Anthony Emery was fined twenty shilings for a pound breach
and to give thirteen shillings and fourpence to Thomas Coleman
for his charges.'' f
c Newbury was fined five pounds for want of a pair of stocks, and
time given till next court to make them.' f
' There came over this summer,' says Winthrop, ' twenty ships
and at least three thousand persons, so as they were forced to look
out new plantations. One was begun at Merrimack, and another
at Winicowett,' [now Hampton.]
Mr. Edward Rawson, Mr. John Woodbridge, and Mr. Edward
Woodman, were chosen commissioners for small causes in Newbury.
In a book printed in London, 1638, and entitled, ' a true relation
of a battell fought in New England between the English and Pequot
salvages/ I find the following sentence :
1 They that arrived out there this year [1638] out of divers parts of Old England,
say they never saw such, a field of four hundred acres of all sorts of English
grain as they saw at Wintertown there, yet that ground is not comparable to
other parts of New England, as Salem, Ipswich, Newbury, and so forth.'
1639.
March 13th. l Plum Island is to remain in the court's power ;
only for the present, Ipswich, Newbury and the new plantation
[Rowley] between them may make use of it, till the court shall see
cause otherwise to dispose of it.' J
In the spring of this year, Mr. Ezekiel Rogers, who had arrived
in New England in December, 1638, with about twenty families
from Yorkshire, having received an addition to his company of
* Town records. t Colonial records. J Colonial records, vol. 1, p. 205.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 29
about forty families, settled down on that tract of land, which was
incorporated by the name of Rowley in the following September.
This tract belonged partly to Ipswich and partly to Newbury, * and
because some farms had been granted by Ipswich and Newbury,
which would be prejudicial to their plantation, they bought out the
owners, disbursing therein about eight hundred pounds.' *
The proprietors' records of Newbury give us the following account,
the date not being recorded :
1 The towne being assembled together and being desirous to manifest theyr
earnest desires and willingness to give due incouredgpnent unto the worthy
gentilmen, who desire to set down between us and Ipswich as to part with such.
a portion of land as cannot any way be expected from them, or they may
without endangering their present necessityes afford. Hoping on good grounds
it may fully answer their desires and expectations they have determined as
followeth :
1 By the common and general suffrages of the body of freemen, none excepted,
there was granted to the said gentilmen all the upland and meadow and marish
between us and Ipswich incompassed by the line heer underwritten, namely :
1. That their line shall begin from the head of the great creek between the great
river and Mr. Dummer's, running due west as we come to the great creek being
the bounds of John Osgood's farm, which issues into Mr. Easton's river and above
that creek all the lands southward of Mr. Easton's river, and from that river
from the path leading to the falls to run a due west line into the country a mile
and afterwards to run on a north west line so as it come not within half a mile
of the side line of Mr. Dummers farm. Likewise it comes two miles distant
of Merrimack. Provided that if after they have entered by buildings or
otherwise on this part of land granted to them and leave off from going on with
a plantation or a towne between us that then the grants abovesaid shall be void
to all intents and purposes and to remaine the proprietyes and inheritances of
the towne of Newbury in as ample a manner as before the grant hereof in all
respects/ f
c Another plantation was begun upon the north side of the
Merrimack called Salisbury, another at Winicowett, called
Hampton.' J
The reverend Stephen Bachiler and his company, who had
received permission from the general court, October, 1638, when
united together by church covenant, commenced a settlement at
"Winicowett. He was at this time residing in Newbury. On ]\Ir.
Rawson's request, the place was called Hampton. The following
persons, residents of Newbury, went with ]\Ir. Bachiler. John
Berry, Thomas Coleman, Thomas Cromwell, James Davis, William
Easton, William Fifield, Maurice Hobbs, Mr. Christopher Hussey,
Thomas Jones, Thomas Marston, William Marston, Robert Marston,
John Moulton, Thomas Moulton, Wrilliam Palmer, William
Sargent, and Thomas Smith. Smith, however, soon returned to
Newbury. A few went to Salisbury. Those who remained deemed
it necessary to make some preparations for defence. They again
contemplated building ' a fort by the water's side ' just below where
Parker river bridge now stands. It was probably never built. The
records say, c it is ordered and determined by the body of freemen
* Winthrop, vol. 1, 294. f Proprietors' records. J Winthrop, vol. 1, p. 289.
30 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
that there shall be a walk of sixteen feet broad on the topp of the
great hill from one end to the other, and a way of four feet broad
through Stephen Kent his lott.' This ' walk ' ran east and west, and
the ' way ' north and south from the green to the top of the ' hill.'
Near the centre of this walk the place is still pointed out, where,
tradition informs us, ' a sentry box, or watch house, was erected.' It
is highly probable, from appearances, that the tradition is ^correct.
The position is a commanding one, and a far better place to ' stand
sentinell,' than ' at the doores ' of the meeting house * all the time of
the publick meeting.'
June. ' There was at this time,' "says Winthrop, ( a very great
drouth all over the country, both east and west, there being little or
no rain from the twenty-sixth of April to the tenth of June.'
In consequence of the complaints against excessive wearing of
lace, and other superfluities, the general court, September, 1639,
1 ordered that hereafter no garment shall be made with short sleeves,
whereby the nakedness of the arme may be discovered in the
wearing thereof, and such as have garments already made with
short sleeves shall not wear the same unless they cover the armes to
the wrist with linnen or otherwise. And that hereafter no person
whatsoever shall make any garment for weomen or any of the sex
with sleeves more than half an ell wide (twenty-two and a half
inches ! ) in the widest place thereof and so proportionable for
bigger or smaller persons.'
The court also forbade the wearing of 'immoderate great breeches,
knots of rybands, shoulder bands, rayles, rases, double ruffs and
cuffes.'
1 Edmund Greenleaf was ordered to be ensign for Newbury and
allowed to keep a house of entertainment.' ^
' Mr. was fined ten shilings and sixpence for selling strong
water without license.' ^
' John Bayley,' senior, of Salisbury, afterward of Newbury, ' was
fined five pounds for buying lands of the Indians without leave of
the court, with condition if he yield up the land to be remitted.' ^
4 Richard Bartlett petitioned the general court and was granted
twenty pounds according to his petition.' ^
' Mr. Edward Rawson is allowed five hundred acres of land at
Pecoit so as he go on with the business of powder, if the salt-petre
come.' *
The people of Newbury having built a l ministry house,' a meeting
house, which was soon used as a school house, had their ferry
established at ' Carr's island,' and become an orderly community,
began not only to lay out new roads, but, as they were rapidly ex-
tending their settlement farther north, to take special care of the
town's timber by prescribing a penalty of five shillings for every
tree cut down on the town's land without permission. Nearly
the whole of what is now called West Newbury, or that part above
* Colonial records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 31
Artichoke river, was called * the upper woods/ The common land
in the southerly part of the town was divided into the 'ox common,'
the ' cow common,' the ' calf common,' and so forth. The sheep
and the goats, of which the inhabitants had many, each had their
prescribed limits, each flock were under the charge of a keeper, and
were obliged to be folded at night to protect them from the wolves.
The town also received a valuable addition to its population in the
persons of Anthony Somerby, their first schoolmaster, Henry
Somerby, Mr. John, Mr. Richard, and Mr. Percival Lowle, who had
been merchants of Bristol, Mr. William Gerrish, and Richard Dole
of Bristol, who had also been engaged in mercantile transactions
before coming to Massachusetts. Not far from this time, though
the date cannot be fixed with certainty, captain John Cutting, 'ship
master,' and Mr. Thomas Milward, ' mariner,' who in 1640 owned
a ' shallop' and was engaged in the fisheries at cape Ann, came to
Newbury. Mr. Richard Dole commenced business as a merchant
near the ' river Parker,' and was always called ' marchant Dole.' The
town granted lots of land which were called the 'fishermen's lots.'
John Knight had a lot of land granted him on condition that he
'follow fishing.' To encourage the fisheries the general court
enacted that all estates, employed in catching, making, or transporting
fish, should be free from all duties and taxes, and forbade ' all
men after the twentieth of the next month to employ any basse or
cod-fish for manuring of ground, and shall forfeit for every hundred
weight of fish so employed in manuring of ground, twenty shillings.'^
' All ship-builders and fishermen during the season for business
were excused from ah1 trainings.' f At that time it does not appear
that the inhabitants of Newbury had ever sent any vessel over
Newbury bar. Their commerce centred in 'the river Parker,'
and came up by the way of Ipswich. ' Merrimack,' says Hubbard,
' is another gallant river, the entrance into which, though a mile over
in breadth, is barred with shoals of sand, having two passages, that
lead thereinto, at either end, of a sandy island, that lieth over against
the mouth of sayde river. Near the mouth of that are two other
lesser ones, about which are seated two considerable townes, the
one called Newberry, the other Ipswich, either of which have fayre
channels, wherein vessels of fifty or sixty tons may pass up safely to
the doores of the inhabitants whose habitations ar>: pitched neere the
banks on either side' $
The first vessels built in Newbury were undoubtedly erected on
the banks of the ' river Parker,' and were designed for the fishery,
and for the ' coasting trade.' At that time the channel of the river
was much deeper than it now is, or vessels of fifty or sixty tons
' could not pass safely up to the doors of the inhabitants.' The river
Parker was once celebrated for the abundance of the fish in its stream.
' There was,' says Hubbard, 'a noted plantation of them' [Indians]
at the falls of the river of Newberry, by reason of the plenty of fish,
* Colonial records. i Hutchinson. J Hubbard, p. 17.
32 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
that ' at almost all seasons of the year used to be found both in winter
and summer.' =& In the will of Richard Kent, who died in 1654, I
find the following bequest. * Also I give the first salmon that is
caught in my weir yearly to Mi*. Noyes, and the second to Mr.
Rogers till my son be nineteen years of age,' and so forth. After
that, his son might do as he saw good.
This year Anthony Somerby came to Newbury, and was em-
ployed to teach school. It is thus noticed on the town records :
'There was granted unto Anthony Somerby in the year 1639 for his encour-
agement to keepe schoole for one yeare foure akers of upland over the great river
in the necke, also sixe akers of salt marsh next to Abraham Toppan's twenty
akers.'
1640.
This year emigration to New England almost entirely ceased, in
consequence of the political change in the affairs of England.
4 This sudden stop,' says Hutchinson, ' had a surprizing effect on
the price of cattle.' Cows which had for some time sold for twenty-
five or thirty pounds, could now be bought for five or six pounds
each. The whole number of neat cattle in New England was
estimated at twelve thousand, their sheep at three thousand. The
number of passengers, who had arrived from the beginning of the
colony in two hundred and ninety-eight ships, were estimated at
twenty-one thousand and two hundred, about four thousand families,
and if is probable, in the language of Hutchinson, that, since 1640,
4 more persons have removed out of New England to other parts of
the world than have come from other parts to it.' The number of
new settlers in this and subsequent years was small. Among them
may be mentioned Robert Adams, Henry Jaques, George Little.
The great influx of provisions, the cessation of emigration, with
various other causes, occasioned a scarcity of money, and of course
a great abatement of the price of all commodities. As neither
* money nor beaver,' says Winthrop, ; were to be had,' the court
ordered that ' Indian corn at four shillings, rye at five shillings, and
wheat at six shillings should pass in payment of all new debts.' ' Men
could not pay their debts though they had enough.' i And he that
three months before was worth one thousand pounds could not, if
he should sell his whole estate, raise two hundred pounds.'
Notwithstanding the distresses of the times, Winthrop informs us
that ' it was a common rule that most men walked by in all their
commerce to buy as cheap as they could and sell as dear,' and
complains of it as a * notorious evil.'
' Most men ' at the present day are probably liable to the same
charge, ' notorious' as the ' evil' may be.
' Henry Sewall, senior, was bound over to his good behaviour in
sixty-six pounds, thirteen shillings, and fourpence, for contemptuous
speeche and carriage to Mr. Saltonstall.' ^
* Colonial records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 33
4 Mr. John Woodbridge, presented for releasing a servant, is
discharged by paying two shillings and sixpence.' ^
This summer Air. John Ward and some inhabitants of Newbury
petitioned for a place of settlement.
In the court records is the following, namely :
4 At a general court held at Boston the thirteenth of the third
month, 1(340, [thirteenth of May, 1640,] the desires of Mr. Ward and
Newbury men, is committed to the governor, deputy governor and
Mr. Winthrop sen. to consider of Pentucket and Cochichawick, and to
grant it to them, provided they return answer within three weeks from
Ihe twenty-first present and that they build there before the nextcourte.'
The names of the < Newbury merT' who with Mr. Ward settled Pen-
tucket, (now Haverhill,) are these. William \Yhite, Samuel Gile,
James Davis, Henry Palmer, John Robinson, Christopher Hussey,
John Williams, and Richard Littlehale, with four others.
The same month, in consequence of the great loss which governor
Winthrop had suffered 'in his outward estate,' through the unfaith-
fulness of his bailiff, 'the elders' agreed, 'that supply should be sent
in from the several towns by a voluntary contribution.' * The whole
came not to five hundred pounds whereof near half came from
Boston, and one gentleman of Newbury, INIr. Richard Dummer,
propounded for a supply in a more private way, and for example
himself disbursed one hundred pounds.' f
4 This unexampled liberality to Winthrop in his distress,' says
Mr. Savage, in a note, ' is a more satisfactory proof of the high esti-
mation in which he stood than could be afforded by the most elab-
orate eloquence of eulogy. But the generosity of Dummer is above
all praise. His contribution is fifty per cent, above the whole tax
of his town, and equal to half the benevolence of the whole
jnetropolis ; yet he had been a sufferer under the mistaken views of
Winthrop and other triumphant sound religionists.'
The state tax this year was £1200, of which Boston paid £179,
Ipswich £120, and Newbury £65.
May, 1640. ' Mr. Edward Woodman, Mr. Christopher Batt, and
John Cross are appointed (when the way is settled) to settle the
ferry, if they think meet.' ^
July 3t/, 1640. The town of Salisbury granted to George Carr,
shipwright, the island, which still bears his name.
1641.
This general court desired « the elders would make a catechism
for the instruction of youth in the grounds of religion.' In compli-
ance with this desire, Mr. James Noyes, of Newbury, composed ' a
short catechism for tho use of the children there.' For a copy of
the work, which was reprinted in 1714, see appendix, B.
k Mr. John Woodbridge, Mr. Edward Woodman, and Mr. Edward
* Colonial records. t Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 4.
5
34 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Rawson, appointed commissioners for small causes in Newbury.' *
* Mr. Rawson instead of Mr. John Oliver.'
1 At a court holden at Ipswich the twenty-eighth of month,
1641, George Carr is appointed to keep the ferry at Salisbury at the
island where he now dwelleth for the space of two years provided
that he find a sufficient horse boate and give diligent attendance.
The ferriages are as follows, namely. For a man present pay two-
pence, for a horse sixpence, great cattle pay sixpence, calves and
yearlings pay two-pence, goates one penny, hoggs two-pence. If
present pay be not made that hee must book any ferriage, then a
penny apiece more. If any be forced to swim over their horses for
want of a great boat, they shall pay nothing. Per curiam.' f
Johnson, in his ' Wonder-working Providence,' published in 1651,
thus speaks : ' over against this towne [that is, Salisbury,] lyeth the
towne of Newberry on the southern side of the river, a constant
ferry being kept between, for although the river be about half a mile
broad, yet by reason of an island, that lies in the midst thereof, it is
the better passed in troublesome weather. The people of this
towne have of late placed their dwellings so much distance the one
from the other that they are likely to divide into two churches.'
The difficulty, as will be seen, was settled without a division.
f* * This court,' (February second, 1641,) says Winthrop, i having
found by experience that it would not avail by any law to redress
the excessive rates of labourers' and workmen's wages and so forth
(for being restrained, they would either remove to other places,
where they might have more, or else being able to live by planting
and other employments of their own, they would not be hired at
all) it was therefore referred to the several towns to set down rates
among themselves. This took better effect, so that in a voluntary
way, by the counsel and persuasion of the elders, and example of
some, who led the way, they were brought to more moderation than
they could be by compulsion. But this did not last long.' J
If the town of Newbury at this time passed any laws regulating
the wages of laborers, or the price of goods, the record is lost. To
supply the deficiency we shall again quote from the Salisbury
records.
1 April 5th, 1641. At a general meeting of the freemen it was ordered that
the year shall be accompted thus : from the first of November to the last of the
first month [March] shall be winter months and the seven other, summer months,
and all labourers for the winter months shall have no more but sixteen pen'ce
per day, and for the summer months twenty pence per day, and all carpenters
shall have two-pence per day more than labourers, that is eighteen pence per day
in winter, and twenty-two pence per day in summer.' l Also that mowers shall
have no more but two shillings per day, and if they mow per the acre they shall
not exceed two shillings per acre.
'Also that no man shall sell clabords of five foot in length for more than three
shillings per hundred, and if shorter according to proportion, and if they cleave
by the hundred they shall not exceed sixpence per hundred for five foot in
length.
* Colonial records, f Court records, [i. t, county court.] \ Winthrop, vol, 2, p. 25.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 35
'Also that noe man shall sell ani sawn bord for more that five shillings per
hundred, and for the sawing no more than three shillings and sixpence per
hundred, and for slitt work no more than four shillings and sixpence per hundred.
* Also that butter shall nott be sould for above sixpence per pound.
1 Also that milk shall be sould for three half pence a quart, new milk, and one
penny skimmed milk ale measure.'
From the above extracts it is evident, that what are now called
clap-boards, were originally boards that were ' cloven,' and not ' sawn,'
and were thence called ' clove-boards,' and in process of time
cloboards, claboards, ' clap-boards.'
The Hampton records give us a similar tariff of prices with this
addition. ' A cart, four oxen and a man five shillings for the winter
months and six shillings and eight-pence for the summer months.'
Early this year, through the agency of Hugh Peter, ' a man of a
very public spirit and singular activity on all occasions,' ^ a ship of
three hundred tons was built at Salem, and soon after another at
Boston of one hundred and sixty tons, called the Trial. All for-
eign commodities at this time ' grew scarce, and our own of no
price.' * Corn would buy nothing — and no man could pay his
debts, and so forth. These straits set our people on work to provide
fish, clapboards, plank, and to sow hemp and flax (which prospered
very well) and to look out to the West Indies for a trade for cotton.' *
* This year about three hundred thousand dry fish were sent to the
market.' * The town of Rowley made laudable efforts to raise
hemp and to some extent succeeded-
; These straits,' the settlement of Hampton, Salisbury, and Haver-
hill, the establishment of a ferry at Carr's island, and the addition to
the population of five or six wealthy men, who had been educated
as merchants, all undoubtedly conspired to extend the limits of their
settlement, and to make the centre of their village two or three
miles farther north. This, however, was not effected without much
difficulty, as we shall hereafter see.
The general court, determining that the whole of New Hamp-
shire came under their jurisdiction, as a line to run east from three
miles north of the head of Merrimack river would take in the whole
of that state, passed a law accordingly, the ninth of October, 1641.
1642.
The winter of 1641-2 was unusually severe. ' All the bay was
frozen over, so much and so long, as the like, by the Indians' rela-
tion, had not been for forty years. It continued from the eighteenth
of November to the twenty-first of February so as horses and carts
went over in many places where ships have sailed.' f
4 February 23d, a generall towne meeting. By the generall con-
sent of all the freemen the stinting of the commons was referred to
Henry Short, Mr. [Edward] Woodman, Edward Rawson, Thomas
* Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 24, 31. t Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 60.
36 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Hale and Mr. [John] Woodbridge, according to their best judg-
ments and discretions.'
Accordingly, twelfth of March, 1642, they determined, that the
several numbers or rights ' shall perpetually belong to the several
persons to whom they are allotted and to no other persons whatso-
ever, except he gett them by purchase or some other legal way,' and
that 'all the commons within the limits of the towne shall be equally
divided into three several parts and that the same number of cattle
that are allowed in the stint of the cows and oxen shall be allowed
in the heifer common and a third like quantity of young cattle
above Mr. Rawson's farme.' The number of persons was ninety-
one. One right was assigned to the ' towne house,' one ' to lye at
the towne's appointment,' one to ' the ferry lott ' and three 'for them
that shall be schoolmasters successively.' This ' stint ' allowed
five hundred and sixty-three cattle in each of the three pastures,
namely : the cow common, the ox common, and the heifer common.
The highest number of ' rights ' was sixty-two and a quarter to
R. Dummer, the lowest, Lewis and Mattox, one.
On March twenty-first ' the town also ordered that all commons
and waste grounds above Mr. Rawson's farme and so to and above
Mr. Dummer's farme to our line next Rowley line shall lie perpetu-
ally common, according to the former order for common, the
meadows only excepted within the verge.' ^
This tract of land, which was thus ' ordered to lie perpetually
common,' comprehended not only a part of Newbury, but nearly the
whole of what is now called West Newbury, now containing some
of the best farms in the county, but then considered, with the
exception of 'the meadows,' as 'waste grounds,' fit only for
' perpetual commons.' In 1686, six thousand acres, a tract more
than nine times as large as the whole of the territory of Newbury port,
situated above Artichoke river, in what was then called ' the upper
woods,' was divided for the first time among the inhabitants. It
was then called ' the upper commons.'
From the first settlement of the town till this year, the inhabitants
had made the ' lower green,' on the banks of ' the great river,' as
they called it, their central place of business. At this time, however,
a majority of them had determined on a removal from the ' old
town ' to the ' new town.' Their reasons for this removal will be
given from the records in their own words, though it is probable that
some pages are lost. It thus commences :
1 Whereas the towne of Newbury well weighing the streights they were in
for want of plough ground, remoteness of the common, scarcity of fencing
stujfe, and the like, did in the year 1642 grant a commission to Mr. Thomas
Parker, Mr. James Noyes, Mr. John Woodbridge, Mr. Edward Rawson, Mr.
John Cutting, Mr. John Lowle, Mr. Edward Woodman and Mr. John Clark, for
removing, settleing and disppseing of the inhabitants to such place as might in
their judgements best tend to theyr enlargements, exchanging theyr lands and
making such orders as might bee in theyr judgments for the wrell ordering of
* Tristram Coffin's manuscript.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 37
the towne's occasions and as in their commission more largely appeareth, the
said deputed men did order and appoint John Merrill, Richard 'Knight, Anthony
Short, and John Emery to go to all the inhabitants of the towne, taking a true
list of all the stock of each inhabitant and make a true valuation of ^all their
houses, improved land, and fences that thereby a just rule might be made to
proportion each inhabitant his portion of land about the ne\v towne? and
removing of the inhabitants there.'
' It was ordered at a meeting of the eight deputed men abovementioned that
each freeholder should have a house lott of foure akers. It \vas further ordered
that in respect of the time for the inhabitants removeing from the place they
now inhabit to that, which is layd out and appointed for their new habitations,
each inhabitant shall have their house lotts foure years from the day of the date
of this commission/
The day of the month is, however, not given. However great
might be the difficulties they found in remaining together, still
greater ones in some respects awaited their removal. As it has often
been since, both here and elsewhere, the main object of their
contention was their meeting-house. The minority, that remained,
were unwilling to have the house removed, and the majority were
equally unwilling to go without it, and when it was removed, where
to place it was the difficulty, and it was not until four years after,
and then not without great opposition, that a decision was finally
made.
The first intimation that we have of a new place to set the
meeting-house upon, is contained in the following grant :
4 There was granted unto Mr. James Noyes that four acres of
land upon the hill by the little pine swamp, which was marked to
sett the meeting house about the year 164*2.' #
This year it appears that the fishing business commenced on the
Merrimack. On the twenty-sixth of March, 1642, the town of
Salisbury ' granted to Robert* Ring two acres of upland upon the
island f over against Watts' sellar J to be employed about fishing
for two years.'
In the year 1671, ' Robert Ring testifies that he did build a cellar
upon that land and a little house and did keep fishing there and did
set up stages upon the salt marsh, being a little cove next the river
and this was about twenty-nine years agoe.' 1671 — 29=1642.
The house of commons this year passed a resolve, exempting
from custom, subsidy, or taxation, the exports and imports of New
England.
In September the governor of Massachusetts received information
from Connecticut, that * the Indians all over the country had combined
themselves to cut off the English.' § It was therefore thought fitt
to disarm all the Indians who were within our jurisdiction. A
warrant was accordingly sent to Ipswich, Rowley, and Newbury, < to
disarm Passaconaway, who lived by Merrimack.' ' The next day,
being Lord's day, forty armed men were sent for that purpose, but
* Proprietors' records, p. 12. f Ring's island.
t ; Watt's cellar ' stood near where Newburyport market-house now stands.
§ Winthrop, vol. 2, pp. 78, 87.
38 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
as it rained all day, they could not go to his wigwam, but went to
his son's and took him which they had warrant for, and a squaw and
her child, which they had not warrant for,' # wherefore fearing the
consequences ' an order was sent to lieutenant Greenleaf, or in his
absence to Mr. Woodman for sending home the Indian woman and
child from Newbury and to send to Passaconaway for satisfaction.' f
On the fifteenth of November, Passaquo and Saggahew, with
the consent of the above-mentioned Passaconaway, sold for £3 10s.
' to the inhabitants of Pen tucket,' now Haverhill, a tract of land
fourteen miles long and six miles broad, 'with ye isleand and the
river that ye isleand stands in,' and so forth. Among the witnesses
to this deed was Tristram Coffyn, who this year came to New Eng-
land, and went from Salisbury to Haverhill.
In September, ' nine bachelors commenced at Cambridge, young
men of good hope.' ^ It was the first class that graduated at
Harvard college. The students then took their degrees, and are ar-
ranged in the catalogue, according to the rank of their parents. The
first graduate was Benjamin Woodbridge of Newbury. See appen-
.dix, C.
December 7th, 1642. ' The men deputed for the managing of
those things that concerned the ordering of the new towne, declared
and ordered according to the former intentions of the towne that
the persons only abovementioned [ninety-one in all,] (see appendix,
letter D,) are acknowledged to be freeholders by the towne and to
have a proportionable right in all waste lands, commons and rivers
undisposed and such as from, by or under them, or any of them or
thcyr heyrs, have bought, granted or purchased from them or any of
them theyr right and title thereunto and none else, provided also
that no freeholder shall bring in any cattle of other men's or townes,
on the towne's commons above or beyond theyr proportions other-
wise than the freemen shall permit.' $
1643.
This year, the fifth of March, ' at seven in the morning, being the
Lord's day, there was a great earthquake. It came with a rumbling
noise like the former but through the Lord's mercy it did no harm.' §
March 2Sth. The town ( ordered that every house lott shall be
foure acres ' and * that he that hath least land in the new towne shall
have eight acres except John Swett, Thomas Silver and John
Russe.' f
' For the confirmation of all men's proprietyes, and direction
likewise for the exchanges in the new towne, itt is ordered that all
the lands as they are entered into the towne's book shall be estab-
lished and confirmed to the owners according as they are entered,
unlesse that any man shall bring in just and right exception against
any man's portion of land within fourteene days after this time to
* Winthrop, vol. 2, pp. 78, 87. t Colonial records.
J Town records. § Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 93.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 39
Mr. Lowle, and if there come in none, then the owners thereof shall
quietly and peaceably thenceforth enjoy the same and shall have lib-
erty to buy or exchange the same or any part or parcels thereof as
they please.' ^
'Corn,' says Winthrop, 'was very scarce all over the country and
many families in most towns had none to eat by the end of April,
but were forced to live of clams, muscles, dry fish, and so forth, but
the merchants had great success in the sale of their pipe-staves and
fish.' The Trial, of Boston, 'made a good voyage, which 'encour-
aged the merchants and made wine, sugar and cotton very plentiful
and cheap in the country.' f ' Our supplies from England failing
much, men began to look about them, and fell to a manufacture of
cotton, whereof we had store from Barbadoes, and of hemp and
flax, wherein Rowley, to their great commendation, exceeded all
other towns/ f
This year the thirty towns in the colony were divided into four
counties, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, and Suffolk. Norfolk contained
Salisbury, Haverhill, Exeter, Dover, and Portsmouth. Essex was as
it now is with the exception of the first two towns.
This year also, May nineteenth, the colonies of Massachusetts,
New- Plymouth, Connecticut, and New Haven, adopted articles of
confederation for their mutual advantage.
July 5th. * There arose a sudden gust at northwest so violent
for an hour as it blew down multitudes of trees. It lifted up their
meeting house at Newbury, the people being in it. It darkened the
air with dust, yet through God's great mercy it did no hurt, but
only killed one Indian with the fall of a tree. It was straight J be-
tween Linne and Hampton.'§ This was a removal of their meeting-
house which neither party anticipated. It was then standing on
the lower green.
August 4th. ' There was an assembly at Cambridge of all the
elders in the country (about fifty in all) such of the ruling elders, as
would, were present also, none else. The principal occasion was
because some of the elders went about to set up some things accord-
ing to the presbytery as of Newbury and so forth. The assembly
concluded against some parts of the presbyterial way and the
Newbury ministers took time to consider the arguments,' and so
forth.§ ' There was little rain this winter and no snow till the third
of March, the wind continuing west and northwest near six weeks.' §
1644-
'Jamw.ry Wth. Remembering the severall inconveniencyes,
multiplicity of suites and vexations arising from the insufficiency
of fences, which to remedy in the old towne hath been so difficult,
yett in our removal to the place appointed for the new towne may
* Town records. t Winthrop, vol. 2, pp. 94, 95.
\ l Straight,' that is, : narrow in extent between Lynn and Hampton.'
§ Winthrop, vol. 2, pp. 124, 136, 155.
40 HISTORY OF NEWBUHY.
easily be prevented. Itt is therefore ordered that all fences generall
and particular at the first setting- up shall be made so sufficient as to
keepe out all manner of swyne and other cattle great or small and
at whose fence or part of fence any swyne or other cattle shall
break thorough, the party owning the fence shall not only beare and
suffer all the damages, but shall further pay for each rod' so insuffi-
cient the somme of two shillings ' and so forth. ' It is likewise
ordered that the owners of all such cattle as the towne shall declare
to be unruly and excessively different from all other cattle shall pay
all the damages their unruly cattle shall doe in breaking thorough
fences.' ^
'•In consideration of Mr. Rawson's keeping the towne book it is
ordered by us according to our power from the towne and courte
granted to us, that he shall be freed and exempted from all towne
rates for one whole yeare from the twenty-ninth of September last
to the twenty-ninth of September next 1644.' ^
* January llth. Itt is hereby ordered and determined by the
orderers of the towne affaires that the plan of the new towne is, and
shall be laid out by the lott layers as the house lotts were determined
by their choice, beginning from the farthermost house lott in the
South streete [now called West India lane] thence running through
the Pine swampe, thence up the High streete, numbering the lotts in
the East street to John Bartlett's lott the twenty-ninth then through
the west side of the High streete to Mr. Lowell's the twrenty -eighth
and so to the end of that streete, then JMMMWfc the Field streete to
Mr. Woodman's the forty-first, thence to the end of that streete
to John Cheney's the fiftieth then turning to the first cross street
to John Emery's the fifty-first thence comming up from the river
side on the east side of the same streete to the other streete the west
side to Daniel Pierce's the fifty-seventh and so to the river side on
the side the streete to Mr. Clarke and others to Francis Plummer the
sixty-sixth as heereinunder by names and figures appeare.' ^ Here
follow, in the original record, the names of sixty-five men and three
women. There is also one lot called ' the ferry lott,' and one to
' John Indian.' This is the first intimation we have on the records,
that there were any of the aboriginal inhabitants residing in New-
bury. His lot is numbered sixty-one. The numbers of the lots
which they chose, are affixed to the names, except seventeen. The
highest number given is sixty-six. The tract of land which was
laid out as the 'new towne,' contained, probably, about seven
hundred acres. The exact limits of the 'new towne' cannot be
accurately ascertained, as the original plan is lost. It, however,
extended farther north and south than the town of Newburyport
now does, but not so far west, and east by the waters of the
Merrimac.
On the same day they determined, that ' their lands shall be liable
to maintaine all publick towne charges, as ministry and such like,
# Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 41
and that thereby they acknowledge their lands.' * They also
annexed a penalty of two shillings and sixpence for every tree"' fit for
timber or fence ' within certain prescribed limits, and ' that all trees
already felled shall be under the like penalty,' and ' the trees shall
lye and remayne on the ground, till the party be knowne to whom
the land belongs that so paying for the labour he may have them to
serve his occasions.1*
March. ' Upon the motion of the deputies ' to the general court,
1 it was ordered that the court should be divided in their consulta-
tions, the magistrates by themselves, and the deputies by themselves,
what the one agreed upon they should send to the other, and if both
agreed, then to pass and so forth. This order determined the great
contention about the negative voice.' f From this division origi-
nated the phraseology, upper and lower house, in consequence of
the deputies holding their sessions in the lower story, and the
magistrates occupying the room over their heads. We still hear
the phrases < sent up ' or * sent down, for concurrence,' when in fact
both houses are on the same floor.
June 5th. i Two of our ministers' sons,' says Winthrop, 'being
students in the college, robbed two dwelling houses in the night of
some fifteen pounds. Being found out they were ordered by the
governors of the college to be there whipped, which was performed
by the president himself.' This was probably the first instance of
the infliction of such a punishment within the walls of old Harvard.
4 The names of these offenders ' has escaped the notice of .Mr.
Savage, whose information concerning the early history of New
England, is as remarkable for its variety and extent as its accuracy.
Their names were James Ward, son of Nathaniel Ward of Ipswich,
and **** Welde of Roxbury, son of reverend Thomas Welde.
They robbed the houses of Joshua Hewes, and Joseph Welde, the
one in March, the other in April, of eleven pounds in money, and
thirty shillings worth of gunpowder.
April Wth. ' There was laid out unto John Emery junior, four-
score akers of upland, bee it more or lesse joyneing unto Merri-
macke river on the north and running from the mouth of Artichoke
river unto a marked tree by a swampe on the northwest corner
being about one hundred and thirty-two rods long at the head
of the cove thence about an hundred rods to the southwest
corner, thence running on a strait lyne about an hundred and
fifty-six rods to Artichoke river on the east about eighty rods
broad.' *
In this month, June, William Franklin, one of the first settlers of
Newbury, and one of the ninety-one grantees in 1642, was hung in
Boston, for murder. ' He had been found at the last court of assist-
ants, guilty of murder, but some of the magistrates, doubting of
the justice' of the case, he was preserved till the next [this] court of
assistants. The case was this. He had taken to apprentice one
* Town records. t Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 160.
6
42 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Nathaniel Sewell, one of those children sent over the last year'
from England. ' He used him with continual rigor and unmerciful
correction, and exposed him many times to much cold and wet in
the winter season, and used divers acts of rigor towards him, as
hanging him in the chimney and so forth and the boy being very
poor and weak he tied him upon an horse and so brought him
(sometimes sitting and sometimes hanging down) to Boston, being
five miles off, to a magistrates, and by the way the boy calling much
for water, would give him none, though he came close by it, so as
the boy was near dead when he came to Boston, and died in a few
hours after.' ^ The governor, magistrates, and elders, having met at
Salem, May thirtieth, to consider this and several other cases, ' the
magistrates seeming to be satisfied, warrant was signed by the
governor a week after, which was not approved by some in regard of
his reprieval to the next court of assistants.' * l He had been
admitted into the church at Roxbury about a month before.' ^
The following order is transcribed from the Ipswich records :
May l\th. t It is ordered that all doggs for the space of three weeks after the
publishing hereof shall have one legg tyed up, and if such a dogg shall break
loose, and be found doing any harm, the owner of the dogg shall pay damages ;
if a man refuse to tye up his dogg's legg, and hee bee found scrapeing up fish
in a corne fielde the owner thereof shall pay twelve pence damages, beside
whatever damage the dogg doth. But if any fish their house lotts and receive
damage by doggs, the owners of those house lotts shall bear the damage
themselves.'
In the Exeter records, I find the following, namely :
1 May 19th, 1644. It is agreed that all dogs shall be clog'd and side lined in
ye day and tied up in the night and if any dogs shall be found trespassing in
the lots, they that shall find them shall showt them.'
As in these days 'doggs' were very numerous, and fish almost
everywhere were necessary as manure for the corn, similar regula-
tions were undoubtedly made in Ne\vbury and other places, though
the record of such penalties and the intimation of such a custom, if
any were made, are now lost.
At the same meeting it was ordered, that for every wolf killed
with hounds, ten shillings should be paid, ' and if with a trappe or
otherwise five shillings ; provided they bring the heads to the meet-
ing house and there nayle them up and give notis thereof to the
constable, whom wee appoynt to write in his books due remembrance
thereof for the clearing of his account to the towne.' f
In the Hampton records of the same year we find a declaration
somewhat similar. ' It is hereby declared that every townsman,
which shall kill a wolf and bring the head thereof and nayle the same
to a little red oake tree at the northeast end of the meeting house,
shall have ten shillings a wolfe for their paynes.'
As early as this year Water street was laid out. This street at
* Winthrop, vol. 2. pp. 184, 185. f Ipswich records.
HISTORY OF XEWBURY. 43
that time was between Thomas Mihvard's fish house, and dwelling-
house, which stood near the foot of what is now called Federal
street.
1 Tristram CofTyn is allowed to keep an ordinary, sell wine, and
keep a ferry on Ncwbury side and George Carr on Salisbury side '
of Carr' s kland.
i The winter of 1644-5 was very mild, and no snow lay, so as
ploughs might go most part of the winter, but on February sixteenth
there fell so great a snow in "several days as the ways were unpas-
sable for three wrecks, so as the court of assistants held not' ^ their
usual session.
1645.
March 4th , 1645. ' There was granted by thetowTie of Newbury
to Daniel Pierce twelve akers of upland which was formerly Mr.
Woodman's, which the said Daniel Pierce requested, promising he
would remaine with us in Newbury as long as hee liveth unlesse
hee should return to Old England.' f
4 By an agreement each family in each colony gave one peck of
corn or one shilling to Cambridge college.' J
March 5th. This day ' the elders of the churches throughout the
united colonies met at Cambridge' to agree upon some answers Ho
books written in defence of anabaptism and other errours and for
liberty of conscience as a shelter for their toleration and so forth,
others in maintenance of the Presbyterial government.' §
September 12th. i There was granted to William Ballard seven
akcrs and a halfe of land and five rod in the great field beyond the
new tpwne called by the name of divident land to enjoy to him and
his heirs forever.' f
December IS///, 1645. GRIST MILL NUMBER TWO. A committee of
seven men were appointed { at a publique meeting for to procure a
water-mill || for to be built and set up in said towne [of Newbury] to
grind theyr corne.' And they agreed to give John Emery and Sam-
uel Scullard £20 in merchantable pay, to ' give them ten acres of
upland and six acres of meadow ' and that the said mill is to be free
from all rates for the first seven years and to be a freehold to them
and their heirs forever, they on their part agreeing to sett up said
mill between Nicholas Holt's point and Edward Woodman's bridge
ready for the towne's use to grind the town's grists at or before the
twenty-ninth of September, 1646. ||
December 22d. ' Thomas Colman having taken a farme so that
he cannot attend to lay out lotts, John Pemberton was appointed
lott layer in his roome" and to joyne with Richard Knight and to
have fourpence per acre and what they are not paid for the towne
is to see them satisfyed for, the legall means being first used to ob-
tayne it.' f
* Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 210. t Town records. J Winlhrop, vol. 2, p. 216.
$ Winthrop, vol. 2, p. 248. || Proprietors' records, vol. 1, p. G.
44 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
During this year the difficulty commenced between Mr. Parker
and the church, concerning church government, and was not finally
settled till 1672.
1646.
1 At a towne meeting of the eight men, January second, 1646.'
1 Wee, whose names are in the margent expressed,* for the settleing the
disturbances that yett remayne about the planting and setling the meeting
house that all men may cheerfully goe on to improve their lands at the new
towne, doe determine that the meeting house shall be placed and sett up at or
before, the twentieth of October next in, or upon, a knowle of upland by
Abrahams Toppan's barne within a sixe or sixteen rodd of this side of the gate
posts, that -are sett up in the high way by the said Abraham Toppan's barne.' f
1 Edward Rawson contradicente this order.7
This ' knowle of upland,' where the meeting-house stood after its
removal, was on the northwest corner of the present burying ground
in the first parish. The following petition to the general court, very
clearly presents the views of those who were opposed to the
removing of the meeting-house, and shows that ' Edward Rawson'
was not the only one who ' contradicented this order.'
(To the right worshipfull, the ever honored court, the governor, deputy
governor, witlTthe rest of the' assistants and deputies now assembled in Boston.7
1 The humble petition of us the inhabitants of Newbury.7
1 The true sense and feeling of the great distractions and sad grievances
among us, which as far as we see) are likely dayly to increase upon to our
farther smart, if not utter confusion rather than to amend, have caused us right
worshipful with truly mournful hearts, after encountering with many difficulties
and using the utmost of means yt we know, to bring our sad complaints to your
ears, intreating you that while yet there is a little hope, which may possibly
decrease dayly, and so the advantage be lost, you would shew a fatherly affec-
tion to us and strike in to save us, if it may be from utter breaking. If you
knew our hearts they would speak far more affectionately than our papers, and
the sad sighs that are on us (when we consider with ourselves how many
thousand miles we are come to enjoy ordinances, and the shadow of a godly
government, and to bequeath so much, if we could to our little ones after us,
that have adventured their lives with us, yet as things now stand we are likely
to miscarry both of our aims) were you sensible of them, could not but move
you to the very heart. It is very griefe to us to lay open our case in such man-
ner as it is, lest we too much discover the shame that is amongst us, yet as
there hath formerly been some smoke of this fire in some small occasions
presented to this court, which hath vanished because the depth hath been not
considered, the truth soundly evidenced, nor the just cause of our grief dis-
covered, therefore we are inforced to set down things as they are, and though
in some particulars some persons only have been active, yet it hath bin with
the well wishes of many, whose eyes have been on them expecting and
desiring their good issue. And we alone at this time appear in this complaint,
yet the proceedings and carriage of some of their chief affaires are very
distasteful to most of the town, though it may be on some other grounds, yet
we doubt not but to say that more of us appear in this complaint than can be
produced on the other side, a great many expecting what the issue will be, not
able any way to help, and so not willing to displease, standing neuter. Trie
foundation of all our troubles is a pretended commission, illegal in itselfe, and
* These names are James Noyes, Edward Woodman, John Cutting, John Lowle,
Richard Knight, Henry Short,
t Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 45
as illegally presented, faire pretences to draw menrs consent (nothing in the
issue answered) at first urged some men in particular, privately drawn by over
persuasions of fair speeches, and when all was done, so many never subscribed,
whose estates were as much, if not more, than half the towne, without which we
doubt not to affirme they had no commission to do any thing as they did.
Professions and protestations were made against their proceedings in the begin-
ning, the illegality and hurt of it often urged, other and far better waies of
helping the towne's necessity, proposed. Yet they proceed and secretly
winding in and intangling most men by some unadvised act or other of their
owne seemed at last to be masters of their purpose. The main and very end of
the said commission [is] in their own confession utterly impossible to be per-
formed (whereupon we should think the commission voide) the promises and
ingagements in the same, impossible to be made good and the very principles
which themselves insisted on. without which they pretend no face or colour to
do any thing by them in the execution, utterly subverted to the unjust oppres-
sion of many. Besides private oppositions (not to speake of all the publicke)
one notorious was this. An action was brought to ye court by some of us, and
eleven of the jury (as was evident by the frequent verdicts not accepted
brought in by them) were for us, and as far as we could discerne half the bench,
though all were not present when sentence was given, so a special verdict
being accepted the case went against us. though from ditferent grounds in the
judges. Appeate was made from the sentence, and sufficient bond put in at
the request of those, that managed these affaires, with faithful promise of
referring it, and standing to the arbitration of those, that were chosen by us,
we surceased to prosecute appeal, yet have often called upon them, also we
found ourselves deluded with such a carriage, as our simplicity was not able to
reach unto. It were too long and tedious to mention all the particulars, wherein
their policy (their whole carriage has been full of it) hath wrought on our sim-
plicity and so left us all at last in misery. To come to the last passages, which
stir and set on the great [burden] of our sorrows. Discourse at last was had of
taking down ye meeting-house. Those (as well as we can guesse) that paid
two parts of three to the building of it, consented not. many strongly opposed it,
yet the voices of many, that were then servants, and never paid penny to it,
prevailed, down it is taken without any satisfaction given us, and besides what
we are forced to pay toward it. The high way in part, that served both town
and country and the very places assigned to bury the dead, and where many
dead bodys lye are sold away (as wee are informed, though all things are
secretly carried) to sett up againe, where both old and new towne judge it
unmeete for both, but especially for us of the ould. The present and already
seen inconveniences in respect of enjoying the ordinances, which we came so
many miles to be partakers of, hath caused us oft to sigh in secret, and forcibly
put us on thought to provide for ourselves, and not to betray the blood of our
poor innocents, which cannot (or exceeding rarely) be partakers of the ordinary
means of salvation, nor we ourselves, but uncomfortably, and with great dis-
tractions, which they of the new towne can experience to us by that little they
have already felt. Divers propositions wee have made. Att the beginning of
these motions we promised the elders both of ym their maintenance (which
must needs be to our great charge) if they would engage themselves to abide
with us. We were rejected in this. Since we have made several propositions.
The towne being continued and stretched out neare five miles, if not upwards,
besides the inconveniences of a great river at the old towne, whereby it cannot
be imagined that we, ould. feeble men, women and children of all sorts, can
possibly many of ym goe above three miles to meeting, besides the necessary
occasions in the winter time of attendance of cattell. which will require divers
to be neerer. most men having small help but by themselves and ye two ends
of ye towne being most populous, wee have therefore desired either first, that
one of the elders might be resident with us, though the other be there, the
church and maintenance still continuing one, and the same, or secondly that
there might be two churches and one elder might be ours, or thirdly, if neither
of the former might be obtained, then to let us be a church of ourselves, and
let us have their helpe and furtherance to provide an elder for ourselves, all
46 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
which they know with Jutyful expressions and sufficient reasons we have rendered
to the church in wilting, and wee know not what farther to think to propose, yett
we can receive no answer of our desires, and wee suppose they cannot answer
otherwise if they deny us these but that wee must live at home and turn igno-
rant atheists wee and ours, or attend on the ordinances bee our conditions what
[they] will with such extraordinary inconveniences, as are not to be borne which
wee' hope that godly magistrates will not suffer, whose authority is for our good
to see the townes and churches builded and not destroyed. Having thus
showed our complaints, every particular charge whereof we stand to defend and
maintaine, and least wee be overtedious we shall now in a word humbly tender
to you the sum of our requests.' [Here the remainder of the sheet on which
the petition was written is torn off, and all the names of the signers on the other
side of the paper except four, lost with it. It concludes thus : ] l And wee
profess and hereby engage ourselves to this honored court that if there should
be thought any just cause of complaint against us that wee should have ye
better in case these things are granted that wee shall bee ready at any time to be
directed and take ye advice of others (in case wee cannot agree ourselves) to come
to equal agreement and composition for the promoting of their prosperous estate
suitable to our towne. whose good we desire, as well as our owne, whose
prosperity we heartily wish, though (as we hope yourselves easily conceive)
necessity forces us to seek your favour in our just petition. And wee the rather
desire your speciall help in" this case because where our whole hope was that in
case of extremity ye court might and would help us. Two or three, if not
more of their chiefe stike not to say and speake more than by intimation that
the court generall hath nothing to do with it nor cannot help us, which, if it
were so our sorrows would be multiplied.
EDMUND GREENLEAFE.
DANIEL THURSTON.
STEPHEN KENT.
JOHN i>ooRE.;
Shortly after this petition was presented, three of the petitioners
removed from Newbury. Mr. Greenleaf went to Boston. Stephen
Kent moved to Haverhill, Mr. Henry Sewall, senior, moved to
Rowley, that he might be near the meeting-house there.
April 8th. ' Mr. Henry Sewall, Mr. Woodman, Henry Lunt, and
Archelaus Woodman, were fyned twelve pence apiece, and Steven
Kent for their absence from the generall towne meeting, to be
gathered within ten dayes. In case the constable bring it not by
that time, Anthony Morse is appointed to distreyne on him for all
the fynes.' %•
At a town meeting of the eight men, ' the time being too short to
finish and perfectly record all the grants, which have bin made by
the eight men, it is ordered that whatever Mr. Rawson shall record
that himself or Richard Knight doth perfectly remember was granted
to any inhabitant shall be by all, and is by all, hereby acknowledged
to be authentick and legall as any other grant allready recorded, so
it be done within these six months.' ^
c In the end of June we had a strong hand of God upon us.
Upon a suddaine innumerable armies of caterpillars filled the
country all over the English plantations, which devoured whole
meadows of grasse, Indian corn, and barley. Wheat and rye not
much. Much prayer was made about it and fasting and the Lord
* Town records.
HISTORY OF XEWBURY. 47
heard and took them away againe suddenly in all parts of the
country to the wonderment of all men.'^
At a general town meeting, the tenth of December, 1646, the
town being informed that Mr. Thomas Parker was unwilling to act
any longer in any matters concerning the new town and that Mr.
Cutting was going to sea, 'did make choyse of Nicholas Xoyes and
William Titcomb to be added to the rest of the new towne men for
six weeks.' t and so forth.
December 16///, 1646. ' At a meeting of the eight men. it is
ordered that all those that do accept of any lands between the great
river and Stephen Dummer's farme shall have it on this condition
that they goe not to divide the church, or oppose the first order or
agreement about the removeing of the towne.' f
' Granted to Aquilla Chase, anno 1646, four acres of land at the
new towne for a house lott and six acres of upland for a planting
lott where it is to be had, and six acres of marsh where it is to be
had, also on condition that he do go to sea, and do service in the
towne with a boat for foure years.' f
; The six acres of upland ' above granted were laid out to Aquilla
Chase ' beyond the new towne.'
In what month of tjiis year these conditional grants were made
to Aquilla Chase, or what was the precise service, which he was
obligated to perform, the records do not inform us. He, however,
removed from Hampton to Xewbury this year, and sometime prior
to September, as we find in the county records the following
presentment :
4 September, 1646. We present Aquilla Chase and wife, and
David Wheeler for gathering pease on the Sabbath day.' For this
offence the court orders them to be admonished and their fines
remitted. For a more particular account of Aquilla Chase see
appendix, E.
mber 1st. The assembly or synod met at Cambridge, and,"
having continued but about fourteen days, broke up, and was ad-
journed to the eighth of June, 1647. t
' This winter [1646] was one of our mildest. No snow all winter
Ion 2:. nor sharp weather. We never had a bad clay to go to the
Indians.' §
1647.
1 KENT'S ISLAND.' This year, February seventh. • the men deputed
to order the affaires and exchanges of the new towne,' granted to
Richard Kent, junior, the island, which is still called Kent's island,
and is still owned by his descendants. It is thus mentioned in the
* Roxbury church records.
t Town records. There is a tradition in the Chase family, that he was the first
person, who ever brought a vessel over Newbury bar. He was probably a pilot, and
fisherman.
t Winthrop, vol. 2, pp. 270, 271.
\ Roxbury church records, written by the reverend John Elliot.
48 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
records. After noticing ' the tenn acres of upland, which the towne
granted him on the island over the little river, and sixty four acres
of marish,' it grants him l all the rest of the upland and marish on
the island over the little river being one hundred and seventy acres
or thereabouts, being formerly granted to particular persons.' The
remainder of the island the said Richard Kent, junior, obtained
either by purchase or exchange, either with the town or individuals,
*' all which land in the island above mentioned being two hundred
and fifty-eight acres or thereabouts to enjoy to him and his heires
forever,' and so forth. %•
April 1st. i It was ordered that Mr. [Edward] Woodman should
be moderator of this assembly and appointed to execute the former
order, that so confusion be prevented.' ^
This is the first time that mention is made in the records, of a
4 moderator,' though such an officer had undoubtedly been chosen
annually from the first settlement of the town. At the same meet-
ing, the ' selectmen,' * one grand jury man,' a ' constable,' three ' way-
wardens,' and a ' deputy ' to the general court, were chosen. This
deputy was Mr. Edward Rawson, who this year was chosen
secretary of state, in room of Mr. Increase Nowell. The next
town clerk was Mr. John Lowle, who dying June twenty-ninth,
4 Anthony Somerby was chosen clerk of the writs at Newbury, and
to record births, deaths and marriages in the place of John Lowle
deceased.' f
In May, the following law was passed, namely : ' it is ordered that
when any towne shall increase to the number of one hundred fam-
ilies or householders they shall set up a grammar school and so forth.
And if any town neglect the performance hereof above one year, it
shall pay £5 per annum to the next such school till they shall perform
such order.' f In May 1671 the fine was increased to £10, and in
1683 to £20.
May 18th. The town for £3 'granted to John Emery that parcell
of land called the greene, about three akers, being more or lesse,
bounded by the half acre lotts on the west, the hye way on the south
east and his own land on the north, being in a triangle, only the
twenty rods [is] reserved in said land for a burying place as it is
bounded with stakes with a way to it from the east.' ^
This 'burying place ' still remains, and is situated east of old town
hill, in land now owned by Mr. Paul Ilsley, and is still called the
* Emery lot.'
This year, in the month of January or February, Mary Johnson
was executed as a witch in Hartford, Connecticut. This was the
first instance in New England.
May 10th. ' Upon examination it appeared that there was not
enough corn in the whole country to last two months.' f
June 8th. The synod again assembled at Cambridge. In conse-
quence, however, of an epidemical sickness, ' which went through
the country among the Indians and English, French, and Dutch,
* Town records. t Colonial records.
HISTORY OF NEWBTJRY. 49
the synod were forced to break up of a sudden/ as { divers of the
members were taken with it.' ' Not a family, nor but few persons,
j ? -u-
escaped. *
It was about this time, according to Winthrop, that <a trade was"
opened with Barbadoes, and other West India islands,' by which
our cattle, provisions, staves, and so forth, were exchanged for4 sugar,
cotton, tobacco and indigo,' which ' were a good help to discharge
our engagements with England.' =fc
Of this trade the inhabitants of Newbury soon began to avail
themselves, as we shall hereafter see, so that, in the language of
Samuel Danforth, in his almanac for 1648,
1 Heaps of wheat, pork, bisket. beef and beer,
Masts, pipe-staves, fish should store both far and near,
Which fetch in wines, cloth, sweets and good tobac-
0 be contented then, ye cannot lack.'
December 26^, 1647. « Tristram Coffin [senior] is allowed to
keep an ordinary, and retayle wine, paying according to order, and
also granted liberty to keep a ferry at Newbury side.' f This ferry
crossed the Merrimac at Carr's island, George Carr keeping the
Salisbury side, and Tristram Coffin, senior, the « Newbury side.'
1648.
April 27l/i. < At a general meeting of the freemen of the towne
it was ordered that from henceforth from yeare to yeare the meeting
for the choyse of towne officers shall be upon the first Monday in
March- upon publick warneing.' J
i There was granted to Thomas Marvyn two akers of land lying
near to the new pond on the back side of Mr. Nicholas Noyes his
house lott at the new towne for encouragement to kill wolves, and
that he shah1 endeavor to his utmost to catch them.' J
June. l At this court Margaret Jones of Charlestown was indicted
and found guilty of witchcraft and hanged for it.' § This was the
first case of that lamentable delusion in Massachusetts, which
required the services of an executioner. , In Danforth's almanac for
this year is the following note set against the fifteenth of June.
i Alice Jones executed for witchcraft.' Alice should be Margaret.
July lo/A. ' The synod met at Cambridge by adjournment.' §
'This synod,' says .Air. Savage, in a note, 'erected the famous Cam-
bridge platform,' which continued so many years, and which was in
a great degree occasioned by the change of sentiment respecting
church discipline, entertained by the ministers of Newbury, Mr.
Parker and Mr. Noyes.
c John Bartlett, constable, was fined forty shillings for not provid-
ing measures, and Newbury, presented for want of a sufficient
* Winthrop, vol. 2, pp. 308, 309. 310. t Colonial records.
t Town rernrdp. § Wintbrop. vol. 2, p. 330.
50 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
pound,' and also presented ' for want of a convenient safe way for
the new towiie to the ferry side.'
4 Lieutenant Edmund Greenleaf is allowed to keep an ordinary
in Newbury.' f
4 It was ordered that Isaac Buswell and George Carr shall have
power to call upon Newbury to lay out the country way as far as
belongs unto them from the island to Mr. Clark's farme.' *
Clark's farm was near Thurlow's bridge, so called.
This year the ' court desired Mr. Edward Rawson and Mr. [Joseph]
Hills to compose the amendments of the book of laws passed and
make them as one ; one copy to remain in the hands of the commit-
tee for the speedy committing them to the press, and the other to
remain in the hands of the secretary sealed up till the next court.'
December. Thomas Smith, aged twelve years, fell into a pit on
his way to school, and was drowned.'
1649.
1 At a generall towne meeting March sixth, 1649, Mr. Edward
Rawson was appointed to serve deputy at the next courte of election
for this towne and to stay and consumate the affayres of the country
according to order for the year following.'
' At a meeting generall of the freemen the sixth of March 1649.
* There was chosen Mr. William Gerrish, John Saunders, Daniel
Pierce, Henry Shorte, Richard Knight, Robert Coker, William
Titcomb, Archelaus Woodman, and John Merrill, to bee a commit-
tee for the towne to view the passages into Plum island and to
informe the courte by way of petition concerning the righte the
towne hath to the sayd island and to have full power with Mr.
Edward Rawson to draw forth a petition and present it to the
next general courte.'
* Mr. Edward Rawson, Mr. John Spenser and Mr. Woodman
was chosen by the towne to joyne with those men of Ipswich and
Rowley, that was appointed to bee a committee about Plum island.' f
May \5th, 1649. The town of Newbury petition the general
court to grant them the whole of Plum island. After declaring
their confidence in the < Christian readiness of the court to uphold
the meanest member of this jurisdiction from sinking under any
pressure,' and so forth, and so forth, they go on to say :
{ The substance of our desires is that, if after you have heard and perused
what we say, that in right Plum island belongs not to us7 yet out of your
just favour, it may be granted to us to relieve our pinching necessities, without
which we see no way to continue or subsist. Our feares were occasioned by a
petition which was preferred to the last general court for it. Our apprehensions
of our right to it are, first, because for three or four miles together there is no
channel betwixt us and it. Second, because at low water we can go dry to it
over many places, in most with, carts and horses, which we usually doe, being
* Salisbury records. t Colonial records. J Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 51
necessitated so to doe since our guift to Rowley on the court's request and
promise that we should have any thing in the court's power to grant. Thirdly,
because the court's order gives all lands to dead low water marke not exceed-
ing one hundred rods, to towns, or persons, where any lands do so border.
In many places Plum island is not ten rods, at no place one hundred rods from
low water marke.
1 Fourth, because we only can improve it without damage to our neigbouring
plantations, which none can doe without much damage to your petitioners, if
not to the ruining of both the meadow and corne of your petitioners, and' so forth.
The premises considered we hope (and doubt not) this honorable court will see
just grounds to answer our request and confirme the island to our towne and we
shall always as in duty we are bound pray, and so forth.
THOMAS PARKER. JAMES NOTES.
PERCIVAL LOWLE. WILLIAM GERRISH.
JOHN SPENCER. EDWARD WOODMAN.
JOHN SAUNDERS. HENRY SHORT.
RICHARD KENT in ye name of ye rest.7
In answer to this petition, the court, October seventeenth, 1649,
granted two fifths of the island to Newbury, two fifths to Ipswich,
and one fifth to Rowley.
March. c Anthony Morse was presented for digging a pit and
not filling it up seasonably.' In this pit Thomas Smith was
drowned.
This year, Pentucket, [now Bradford,] 'ordered that the fence
between" us and Newbury shall be made sufficient with three rails
on penalty of sixpence a rod fine for defect.'
On the' tenth of May, 1649, governor Endicott, deputy governor"
Dudley, with seven of the assistants, bore the following testimony
against the wearing of long hair. It is inserted as a curiosity.
1 Forasmuch as the wearing of long hair after the manner of ruffians and
barbarous Indians, has begun to invade New England, contrary to the rule of
God's word, which says it is a shame for a man to wear long hair, as also the
commendable custom generally of all the godly of our nation, until within
these few years.
• We the magistrates, who have subscribed this paper (for the shewing of our
own innocency in this behalf) do declare and manifest our dislike and detesta-
tion against the wearing of such long hair, as against a thing uncivil and
unmanly, whereby men doe deforme themselves and offend sober and modest
men, and doe corrupt good manners. We doe therefore earnestly entreat all
the elders of this jurisdiction (as often as they shall see cause to manifest their
zeal against it in their publike administrations) to take care that the members of
their respective churches be not defiled therewith ; that so such as shall prove
obstinate and will not refonne themselves, may have God and man to witness
against them.'
In the Roxbury church records, and in the hand writing of the
venerable John Elliott, I find the following. It is the seventh
1 proposition about apparel and fashions.'
' 7. Locks and long haire (now in England called rattle heads and opposite to
Christians, who wear short haire all of a lengthe and therefore called round
heads) is an offence to many godly Christians, and therefore be it known to such,
they walk offensively.'
52 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
The first tanner in Newbury, of whom we have any account,
was Mr. Nicholas Easton, who was afterward governor of Rhode
Island. He is called by Winthrop, ' one Easton, a tanner.' The
remains of an old tan-yard are still visible, on land once owned by
him, and which some years after came into possession of Mr.
Richard Dole, who, as we learn from his will, carried on, among
his other occupations, the business of tanning. The site of the
yard, which is still owned by his descendants, is a few rods north
from Parker river bridge, and a few rods east from the main road
leading to the bridge. John Bartlett was also a tanner. His place
of business was a short distance from the banks of the Merrimac,
near the road leading to Amesbury ferry. In what year he com-
menced the business, it is impossible to say. Descendants of the
same name are 'still engaged in the same business, on the same spot.
On the nineteenth of April, this year, the i freemen ' granted to Job
Clements, from Haverhill, a freehold 'conditionally yt he live with
us heere in Newbury exercising his trade four years or as long as
he shall live within that tearme and also let the shoemakers of this
towne have the first proffer or the forsaking of his leather, making
him as good pay as others.' ^
This attempt to secure the services of Job Clement, as tanner,
failed, he ' not performing the conditions above specifyed.'
September. Newbury was presented for want of a pound, and
their constable presented for not providing weights and measures
according to order of court, but afterward the fine was remitted, f
' Newbury was presented for want of a sufficient pound and is
to pay forty shillings, unless it is completed by the first of May
next.' f
The following curious sentence of the court, on a citizen of
Ipswich, is found on the county records.
< Thomas Scott upon his presentment is fyned ten shillings
unless he learn Mr. Norton's chatachise by next court.'
The records of the court do not state the nature of the offence,
which induced the court to inflict the ' chatachise ' on the offending
brother, or its value in money. It appears, however, that he chose
rather to lose the money than to take the ' chatachise,' as the records
of the 'next court' inform us, that ' Thomas Scott not appearing to
make known that he hath learned Mr. Norton's chatachise his fyne
is to be taken.'
In September, ' there was a general visitation by the small-pox.' f
1650.
The first notice we have, on the town records, of any Indians liv-
ing in Newbury, is in January, 1644, where lot sixty-one in the new
town is granted to ' John, Indian.' The next is in April sixteenth
of this year, where the town, through their selectmen, William Ger-
* Town records. t County records. J Roxbury church records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 53
rish, Abraham Toppan, and Anthony Somerby, purchase a tract of
land of ' Great Tom, Indian.' It commences thus :
1 Witness by these presents that I, Great Tom. Indian, for and in consideration
of three pounds in hand paid by, and received of, the townsmen of Newbury,
have given, granted, covenanted and fully bargained, and for and by these
presents do give, grant, convey, confirme, bargain and sell all that my th***
acres of planting land as it is fenced in one entire fence in Newbury lying neere
Indian hill with all my right, title and interest in all the woods, commons and
lands that I have in the township of Newbury to have and to hold, and so forth,
and so forth. In witness whereof I, the said Great Tom, Indian, have set to
my hand and seale April sixteenth, 1650.
The mark * of
GREAT TOM, INDIAN.'
November 20th. The town * granted to John Poore twenty-two
acres of upland/ in consequence of l his being so remote from
meeting and difficulty in coming over the ferry and for his
satisfaction.'
September 7th._ Mr. John Spencer, nephew of Mr. John Spencer,
deceased, sold to Henry Sewall, the mill lot, being fifty acres of
upland and ten acres of meadow, for sixteen pounds sterling.
In this year, December nineteenth, ' the townsmen at a- meeting*
voted to pay out of the ' towne rate one shilling for every dozen of
black birds, two shillings for every dozen of wood-peckers' and
jays' heads, and three shillings for every dozen of crowes, and so
proportionable for any lesser number.'
'John Tillotson was presented for scandalous and reproachful
speeches cast on the elders and others in a publick church meeting
on a Lord's day.' %•
4 Henry Somerby was licensed to keep an ordinary instead of
Mr. Greenleaf.' *
' John Perry of Newbury is ordered to sit in the stocks one house
enxt lecture day for abusive carnage to his wife and child.' *
'John Tillotson on his many offences is fined twenty pounds,
bound to his good behaviour, and fined twenty-seven pounds for
killing a mare belonging to Mr. James Noyes.' *
In an old manuscript, once owned by the reverend James Noyes,
and now by one of his descendants, Mr. Silas Noyes, is an account
of the testimony taken in the case of John Tillotson, and some of
4 his many offences,' which induced the court to lay so heavy a fine
on him. The evidence concludes by saying : ' at last he killed our
elder's mare, great with foal, and a special good beast she was,
provoked with her at ye instant, he killed her with a long pike, thrust
through both her sides,' and so forth, and so forth, and ' the morning
after this transaction he made a deed to convay all his estate away
from himselfe offering it to goodman ^fc^^MMfc whereby our elder
would have been wholly defrauded of his mare.'
* County records.
54 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1651.
From Johnson's Wonder-working Providence, published this year,
I make the following extract :
1 This town [Newbury] is situated about twelve miles from Ipswitch, neere
upon the wide venting streams of Merrimack river, whose strong current is such
that it hath forced its passage through the mighty rocks, which causeth some
sudden falls and hinders shipping from having any accesse far into the land.
This towne is stored with meadows and upland. Their houses are built very
scattering, which hath caused some contention about removal of their place for
sabbath assemblies. It consists of about seventy families. The soules in
church fellowship are about an hundred. The teaching elders in this place
have carried it very lovingly toward their people, permitting them to assist in
admitting of persons into church society, and in church censures, to long as they
act regidarly, but in case of maladministration they assume the power wholly to
themselves.11
The preceding lines of Johnson very well express the principles
of church discipline, held by Messrs. Parker and Noyes, and which
occasioned the long and bitter controversy, which was not finally
settled till a short time before the death of Mr. Parker in 1677. A
majority of the church demanded as a right, what Messrs. Parker
and Noyes, in the language of Johnson, ' lovingly permitted ' as a
favor, and believing that the church in its corporate capacity had a
right, and were therefore under a sacred obligation, to manage its
own affairs, they contended most strenuously, and with untiring
pertinacity, against their ' elders' assuming,' under any pretext, ' the
power wholly to themselves.' Full proof of this will be hereafter
exhibited.
In consequence of £ divers complaints, having been made from
time to time of disorder in the meeting house,' and believing that
i the abuses in the youth cannot be so easily reformed, unlesse every
house-holder knows his seat in the meeting-house,' the selectmen,
the twenty-fourth of January, 1651, ' hereby order that every house-
holder both men and women shall sit in those seats, that are
appointed for them during their lives, and not to presse into seats
where they are full already.' They also declare that they ' have
drawne a list of the names of the inhabitants and appointed them
their places in the meeting-house and have set their names in each
particular seat where they shall sit and the young men are appointed
to sit in the four backer seats in the gallery and in the two lower
seats at the west door.'
This was called ' seating the meeting-house,' and occasioned, as
will be hereafter seen, much difficulty. At this time pews were not
known. The foregoing extract was taken from the quarterly court
files in Salem. It was a copy from the * towne booke,' which
cannot now be found.
As a specimen of some of the cases tried at Salem court, I give
the following testimony, * T junior of Newbury came
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
to goodman Sanders' barne and with a great swingell did strikS
William Richerson athurt the bake and so ran away.' *
The town granted to Richard Pettingell, fourteen acres of marsh,
in consideration of his ' yielding up into the towne's hands a way
1 four rods wide through his land.' f That way is now Green
street, formerly called Rolfe's lane.
March 5th. Henry Short, agent for Mr. Stephen Dummer, sold
to Thomas Brown and George Little, his 'farm at the Birchen
meadows containing three hundred acres for twenty-one pounds.'
October 14Z//. The court made another abortive attempt to
regulate the fashions of the people, to prescribe what certain classes
of persons should not wear, and what exceptions ought to be made
to the general rule. They declare that 'intolerable excesse and
bravery hath crept in upon us and especially among people of mean
condition and their utter detestation and dislike that men of mean
conditions and callings should take upon them the garb of gentle-
men by wearing gold or silver lace, or buttons, or points at their
knees, to walk in great boots, or women of the same ranke, to wear
silk or tiffany hoods or scarfs, which though allowable to persons of
greater estates, or more liberal education, they judge it intolerable
in persons of such like condition.'
They then order, that, with the exception of ' magistrates or any
publick officer of this jurisdiction, their wives and children, military
officers or soldiers, or any other, whose education or employment
have been above the ordinary degree, or whose estates have been
considerable, though now decayed, or who were not worth two
hundred pounds, no person should trangress this law under penalty
of ten shillings.'
• 1652.
On the court records at Salem, I find the following :
1 This is to certify whom it may concern that we the subscribers being called
upon to testify against [doctor]" William Snelling for words by him uttered,
affirm that being in way of merry discourse, a health being drank to all friends,
he answered
I '11 pledge my friends,
And for my foes,
A plague for their heels,
And a poxe for their toes.'
1 Since when he hath affirmed that he only intended the proverb used in the
west country, nor do we believe he intended otherwise.'
WILLIAM THOMAS,
THOMAS MILWARD.
' March 12, 1651-2. All which I acknowledge, and I am sorry I did not
expresse my intent, or that I was so weak as to use so foolish a proverb.' *
GULIELMUS SNELLING.
So great, however, was the enormity of the doctor's offence, that
neither explanation, nor apology, was of any avail, as the record
* County records. t Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
5rms us that c William Snelling in his presentment for cursing is
fined ten shillings and the fees of court.' ^
After this specimen of their abhorrence of profanity, we have a
right to presume that doctor Snelling was especially careful of what
he said concerning his neighbors' heels or toes.
This year a mint was established at Boston, for coining shillings,
sixpences, and threepences. The pieces at first, had N. E. on one
side, and XII. VI. or III. on the other. It was afterward ordered,
that all pieces should have a double ring, with the word MASSA-
CHUSETTS, and a tree in the centre, on one side, and NEW ENGLAND
and 1652 on the other. The same date was continued for thirty
years after. * The mint master was John Hall, who raised a large
fortune from it,' his perquisites being fifteen pence for every twenty
shillings coined. Judge Samuel Sewall married his only daughter,
and, it is said, received with her thirty thousand pounds in New
England shillings.
This year, Hugh Parsons, of Springfield, was tried for witchcraft,
but the jury and the magistrates not agreeing, the general court
acquitted him.f
This year a prison was built in Ipswich, being the second in the
Massachusetts colony.
< Stephen Kent formerly of Newbury was fined ten pounds for
suffering five Indians to be drunk in his house in Haverhill and
one wounded, shall pay the fine and satisfy for the cure of the
wounded Indian.'
We present ' Elizabeth Randall of Nuberrie for useing reproach-
ful language unto goody Silver base lieing divell, base lieing tode,
base lying sow, base lying iade.' ^
In December, ( there appeared a comet in Orion, which continued
its course toward the zenith for the space of a fortnight till [the rever-
end] Mr. Cotton died? $
It is thus mentioned in the records of the first church in Boston :
4 December ninth, a large star with a long blaze appeared. It grew
less and less till the twenty-second, when it disappeared.' The
reverend John Cotton died the twenty-third of December.
November 29th, 1652. < There was voted by the major part of
the towne that there should be a convenient house built for a
schoole.'
' There was also voted that there should be twenty pounds a
yeare allowed for to maintaine a school master out of the towne
rate.
< There was also voted that Mr. Woodman, Richard Kent, junior,
lieutenant Pike and Nicholas Noyes should be a committee for the
managing the business of the schoole.' §
These votes, with the exception of the grant of ten acres of land
to Anthony Somerby in 1639, ' for his encouragement to keep
* County records. t Hutchinson.
4 Roxbury church records. § Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 57
schoole for one year,' contain the first notice on record of the town's
intention to build a school-house and to support a master at their
expense. This was, doubtless, in obedience to the law passed by
the state in May, 1647, as may be seen in Ancient Charters, page
186, though a school had for many years been taught in the meeting
house.
The following extract from the first section of the act of May,
1647, is worthy of perpetual remembrance, and is therefore herp
inserted.
1 It being one chief project of Satan to keep men from the knowledge of the
scripture, as in former times keeping them in unknown tongues, so in these
latter times persuading from the use of tongues, so that at least the true sense
and meaning of the original might be clouded and corrupted with false glosses
of deceivers ; to the end that learning may not be buried in the graves of our
forefathers, in church and commonwealth the Lord assisting our endeavours, it
is therefore ordered,' and so forth.
1653.
4 At a general meeting of the towne, the fourteenth of May, 1653,
there was ordered that the towne should by an equal proportion
according to men's estate by way of rate pay twenty-four pounds
by the yeare to maintaine a free schoole to be kept at the meeting
house, and the master is to leach all such inhabitants' children, as shall
be sent to him so soon as they know their letters and begin to read.' *
Against the establishment of such a school, seventeen persons
< desired to have their dissents recorded,' all of whom, it appears,
resided so far from the meeting-house that their children could not
conveniently attend the school. They were therefore unwilling to
be taxed to support an institution, which, however advantageous to
the whole town, was not directly beneficial to them.
September. * Tristram Coffyn's wife Dionis was presented for
selling beer,' at his ordinary in Newbury, * for three pence a quart.'
Having proved ' upon the testimony of Samuel Moores, that she
put six bushels of malt into the hogshead she was discharged.' f
The law, which she was supposed to have violated, was passed
in 1645, and is as follows, namely :
1 Every person licensed to keep an ordinary, shall always be pro-
vided with good wholesome beer of four bushels of malt to the
hogshead, which he shall not sell above two pence the ale quart on
penalty of forty shillings the first offence and for the second offence
shall lo<se his license.'
Goodwife Coffyn probably reasoned thus :
4 As four is to two, so is six to three. I '11 have better beer than
my neighbours and be paid for it. A fig for the law.'
Other presentments for violations of the law of more consequence
* Town records. t County records.
8
58 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
than selling beer were multiplied. Many of these were for not
regarding the sumptuary law of 1651.
For instance, l Nicholas Noyes' wife, Hugh March's wife, and
William Chandler's wife were each presented for wearing a silk
hood and scarfe,' but were discharged on proof that their husbands
were worth two hundred pounds each. John Hutchins' wife was
also discharged ' upon testimony of her being brought up above the
ordinary ranke.'
Joseph Swett's wife for the same offence was fined ten shillings.
Agnes, the wife of deacon Richard Knight, was also presented.
This troubled the good deacon exceedingly, and induced him to
solicit Mr. Rawson to send the following letter to one of the magis-
trates at Salem.
'HONORABLE SIR,
An honest godly man, a friend of mine in Newbury, whose name is
Richard Knight, whether of ignorance or wilfulness by some neighbour is pre-
sented for his wife's wearing of a silk hood, supposing he has not been worth
two hundred pounds. It being a grievance to him, who is advanced [in years] to
be summoned to a court, that never useth to trouble any, at his request I thought
fit to inform you on my owne knowledge his estate is better worth than three
hundred, and therefore I desire you would, as you may, forbeare, in your war-
rant to insert his name in it, it may be ; if not, at least that you would take
private satisfaction of him in your chamber, which he can easily give you, or
any, in a moment. Not else at present but my service to you and Mr. Symon
Bradstreet.
Your friend and servant,
EDWARD RAWSON.
Now at Newbury, the fourteenth of August, 1653.'
' This letter, as it will be seen, was of no avail, though the woman
was acquitted.'
This year, the road was laid out from Andover to Newbury,
* leaving Rowley way at the beginning of a plain by a little swamp
called Barberry swamp, thence the old way to Falls river, thence
over the head of Cart creek, thence to Hull's bridge over Hull's plain
to the mill bridge,' and so forth.
This year Newbury gave fifteen pounds to Harvard college.
September 7th. ' The court, on hearing that lieutenant Robert
Pike declared that 'such persons as did act in making that law
restraining unfit persons from constant preaching did break their
oath to the country, for, said he, it is against the liberty of the
country, both civil and ecclesiastical,' declared that he had been
guilty of defaming the general court, and order that he shall be
disfranchised, disabled from holding any publick office, bound to
his good behaviour, and fined twenty marks,' equal to thirteen
pounds, six shillings, and eight-pence.
The law alluded to above was made to restrain Joseph Peasley and
Thomas Macy, formerly of Newbury, then of Salisbury, new town,
from exhorting the people on the sabbath in the absence of a minister.
This order had no effect on Joseph Peasley, who still continued his
preaching in defiance of the law, as we find, in the year 1659.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 59
The punishment inflicted on lieutenant Pike caused a great
sensation in the neighboring towns. Petitions were presented to the
general court, containing the names of nearly all the citizens of
Newbury, Andover, Hampton, Salisbury, and so forth, earnestly
entreating the magistrates to remit the punishment and the fine
imposed on lieutenant Pike. The whole case is a very instructive
one. It exhibits, on the one hand, the watchful jealousy of the
people, in consequence of any supposed or real incroachments on
their civil or ecclesiastical rights, and on the other hand the deter-
mination of the magistrates not to have their authority lightly called
in question.
They immediately chose a committee to call the petitioners of the
several towns together, ascertain their reasons for signing the petition,
and make return. This was done in 1654, and eight Newbury men
were bound to their good behavior in a bond of ten pounds each for
signing the petition, the remainder having acknowledged their offence.
October 29th. There was a small shock of an earthquake.
1654.
Kent's island, with sixteen cows and four oxen on it, was let this
year, for seven years, by Richard Kent, to Launcelot Granger, ^for
forty-six pounds a year.
1 On the ninth of June this year there was a storme of thunder
and haile, such as hath not been heard of in New England since
the first planting thereof, which haile fell in the bounds of Hampton,
the haile being to admiration for the multitude thereof, so that in
some places it remained after the storm was over twelve inches in
thickness and was not all dissolved in two days, many of which
haile were said to be three or four inches in length.'^
September 21st. t Liberty was granted to the inhabitants of the
4 old towne ' to make a fence and hang a gate acrosse the way about
Anthony Short's or John Knight's provided they hinder not the
cattell from going into the commons there.' f
Many such fences and gates were erected in various parts of the
town. There were two on the south side of * the river Parker,' one,
a few rods north of the present first parish meeting-house, another,
on the 'four rod way' south of Turkey hill, and in many other
places. At this time, and for many years after, travelers, who
usually went on horseback, were obliged every few miles to dismount
and open a gate, which the town ordered to be made to open and
shut ' flippantly.'
' John Emery was chosen to answer at the next court at Ipswich
concerning the presentment about the way to Andover.' f
The selectmen were ordered to examine and require * an account
of the money or goods, that hath been gathered to purchase a bell,
in whose hands it is, and to make report to the towne.' f
* Hampton records. t Town records.
60 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
The bell, we have reason to suppose, was obtained about this
time, as we find in December, 1665, that Anthony Morse was chosen
1 to keep the meeting-house and ring' the bell?
This year the general court declare that * Richard Thorlay having
built a bridge over Newbury river, at his owne cost hath liberty to
take toll for cattle, sheep, and so forth, so long as he shall maintain
and repair the same, passengers free.'
1655.
April 25th. i The towne granted to captain Paul White a par-
cell of land, not exceeding half an acre, about Watts his cellar ^
for to make a dock, a wharf, and a warehouse, provided he do
build a dock, and warehouse as aforesaid ; but the town granteth
no liberty of freehold or commonage hereby and if he shall here-
after sell it, when he hath built upon it, the town shall have the
forsaking of it.' f
This is the first record of a grant to any person, for permission
to build a wharf, and so forth, on the Merrimack. The grantee,
captain Paul White, was a merchant, who had been engaged in
trade for some years at Pemaquid, now Bristol, Maine, and had
been in Newbury about two years.
May 25th, 1655. Joseph Swett petitions the honorable court to
confirm to him the grant of ' Deer island, which the selectmen of
Newbury have granted him, which is not above six acres of land,
and is not above six or eight rods from Newbury shore,' and so forth.
This year, in July, an epidemical disease, like that in 1647,
pervaded New England, ' whereof many died.'
June. George Carr made ' a floating bridge five feet wide with
rails on each side,' from his island to Salisbury shore. ' The floate
bridge,' says George Carr, ' is above two hundred and seventy feet
long with ye faule.'
The people of Hampton, New Hampshire, proposed to join with
Rowley, in petitioning the general court for a country way, from
Carr's ferry to [doctor] Clark's farm, [near Thurrill's bridge,] and so
* as direct from thence as may be to Rowley line.' J
1656.
May 7th. On this day, ' the half acre of land/ granted last year
to captain Paul White, was laid out ' at the end of Fish street [now
State street] joyneing to Merrimack river on the northwest, and from
the river by the great rocks upon a strait lyne to a stake by the way,
* c Watts his cellar,' which is frequently mentioned in the town records, and in deeds
of land, was on, or just below, the spot where the market-house in Newburyport now
stands. This Watts was, undoubtedly, the first person who dug a cellar within the
limits of ' ould Newberry.' He was probably engaged in fishing and trading with the
Indians.
t Town records. J Hampton records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 61
and from that stake to another stake westerly by another great
rocke,*1 and from a stake running over part of the rock upon a
straight lyne westward to another stake by the dock.' f
With the conditions of the grant he complied, and built a wharf,
warehouse, and * stillhouse,' and made a dock. He was extensively
engaged in business till his death, July twentieth, 1679.
In June, of this year, Mrs. Ann Hibbens was executed in Boston,
for the supposed crime of witchcraft. ' This,' says Hutchinson,
' was the second instance on record of any person's being executed
for witchcraft in New England. Her husband, who died 1654, had
been a magistrate, and a merchant of note.'
1 Mr. Noise, the blessed light at Newbury died.' J This was the
reverend James Noyes, who died October twenty-second, 1656.
He had been teacher of the church in Newbury from its first
formation.
1657-
In the month of March, died, in Rowley, Mr. Henry Sewall,
whose only son Henry, was one of the first settlers of Newbury.
He came to Newbury soon after his father, and after the removal of
the meeting-house from the lower green, to the place where it now
stands, in 1646, he crossed the river to Rowley, and there resided
through the remainder of his earthly pilgrimage. During the latter
part of his life, he is said to have been occasionally a little deranged.
This was probably the cause of his being two or three times
presented by the grand jury for various offences. The first instance
was in December, 1650. The testimony was as follows, namely :
' Mr. Showell was walking in the foremost seat in the meeting-house neare
the pulpit and Mr. Rogers being present and ready to step into the place to
begin prayer, said, Mr. Showell, cease your walking. Mr. S. answered, you
should have come sooner, with more words to that purpose, but he not ceasing
his walking, presently our pastour added these words, remember where you
are, this is the house of God, to which Mr. S. answered with a lowd voyce I
know how to behave in the house of God as well as you. Then our pastour
said rather than that he disturb the congregation, putt him out, to which Mr. S.
replyed, lett us see who dare. After this a brother spake unto Mr. Showell in
a friendly way, but Mr. S. with a stearne countenance and threatning manner
saide he would take a course with some of us and in many other wordes we doe
not now remember. Upon another Lord's day Mr. S. was walking, a part of
the congregation being assembled, Mr. S. did exclaim thus with an audible
voyce, looking up, good Lord, this day is spent I know not how, and nothing is
yet done, expressing some trouble in other words.' ,
October. General court ordered, that ' the penalty for entertain-
ing quakers should be forty shillings.'
* ' The great rocke,' mentioned in the grant, stood where Mr. George Granger's store
now stands, and was at least twenty feet high,
t Town records,
j: Roxbury church records.
62 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1658.
This year, it appears, incidentally, that the town contemplated
building a new meeting-house, as a committee were appointed to
sell Edward Woodman twelve acres of marsh, for which he
* engages to pay either in boards or nayles or both for the meeting-
house.' %•
At what time, precisely, the ' new meeting-house ' was built, no
record informs us. It was, however, erected prior to 1661, as will
be seen under that year.
' Newbury upon their presentment for want of a lattin scoole is
to pay five pounds to Ipswich lattin scool, unles they by the next
court provyde a lattin scoole master according to law.' f
This year, in May and October, there was great difficulty among
the military companies of Newbury, which was finally settled by
the general court, who ordered four persons ' to be severally admon-
ished and pay the several charges of their neighbours the last
court, namely, four pounds, eight shillings.'
In this year, Salem paid fifty-three pounds, Ipswich seventy-two
pounds, and Newbury thirty-four pounds, of the province rate.
1659.
' William Trotter for slanderous speeches, to make publick
acknowledgement next lecture day.' f
October. Sixteen inhabitants of Newbury, and six of Dover,
petition the general court to grant them i a tract of twelve miles
square,' in a ' place called Pennecooke,' and < crave the liberty of
three years to give in their resolution,' and, in case they determine
to settle i a plantation soe far remote,' ' to have ye grant of their
freedom from publique charge for ye space of seven years,' and so
forth. The court granted them eight miles square, on certain con-
ditions, with which they did not comply. < Pennecooke,' now
Concord, was not settled till 1730, though the first white family
moved there in 1727.
* April thirtieth, old style, there was a great storme of snowe,
which lay three or four inches thick upon May-day in the morning.' J
This year several persons were prosecuted and* fined for violating
the law of 1657, which prohibited ' entertaining quakers.' Among
them was Thomas Macy, one of the first settlers of Newbury, but
at this time a resident in Salisbury. Complaint having been made
against him, he was summoned to appear before the general court,
to answer the charges preferred against him. Instead of complying
with the requisition, he sent a letter, of which the following is a
copy.
* Proprietors' records. f County records. J Hampton records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 63
.* This is to entreat the honored court not to be offended because of my non-
appearance. It is not from any slighting the authority of this honored court,
nor from feare to answer the case, but I have bin for some weeks past very ill,
and am so at present, and notwithstanding my illness, yet I, desirous to appear,
have done my utmost endeavour to hire a horse, but cannot procure one at
present. I being at present destitute have endeavoured to purchase, but at
present cannot attaine it. but I shall relate the truth of the case as my answer
should be to ye honored court, and more cannot be proved, nor so much. On a
rainy morning there came to my house Edward Wharton and three men more ;
the said Wharton spoke to me saying that they were traveling eastward, and
desired me to direct them in the way to Hampton, and asked me how far it was
to Casco bay. I never saw any of ye men afore except Wharton, neither did I
require their names, or who they were, but by their carriage I thought they
might be quakers and told them so, and therefore desired them to passe on
their way, saying to them I might possibly give offence in entertaining them,
and as soone'as the violence of the rain ceased (for it rained very hard) they
went away, and I never saw them since. The time that they stayed in the
house was" about three quarters of an hour, but I can safely affirmeut was not
an houre. They spake not many words in the time, neither was I at leisure to»
talke with them for I came home wet to ye skin immediately afore they came
to the house, and I found my wife sick in bed. If this satish'e not the honored
court, I sfyall subject to their sentence : I have not willingly offended. I am
ready to serve and obey you in the Lord.'
THO. MACY.*
Notwithstanding this explanation and apology, he was fined
thirty shillings, and was ordered to be admonished by the governor,
for ' entertaining quakers,' two of whom, William Robinson and
Marmaduke Stephenson, were hung in Boston, December twenty-
seventh-, 1659.
Tradition informs us, that Thomas Macy, immediately after his
sentence, took an open boat, and with his wife and children, went
to Nantucket, was one of the first English settlers in that island,
and there resided the remainder of his life. An amusing ballad,
founded on the above-mentioned incidents, was written by the poet
J. G. Whittier, and published some years ago in a Philadelphia
annual. See appendix.
1660.
March 16£A, old style. There was a very severe ' storm of driving
snow, which drove up in drifts four feet deep.' f
The winter of 1659-60 was ' a very hard winter.' f
This year the county court * order a road from Rowley to Newbury
by Richard Thurrell's bridge.'
In September, a return was made of the road, which was laid
out from the north end of Rowley to Thorla's bridge, and so on
through the farms of Edmund Moore's and Robert Adams, then to
Trotter's bridge, then to the meeting house of Newbury as Andover
way is laid out.' if
This year the general court granted to several inhabitants of
Newbury, on their petition, a tract of land on Saco river, ' provided
they have twenty families and a minister settled within four years.'
* General court files. t Hampton records. J County records.
64 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1661.
January 28th. The selectmen agreed with Henry Jaques to
' build a gallery in the new meeting house at both ends and all along
on the west side with three substantiall seats all along both sides
and ends, the said Henry Jaques shall fell the timber and provide
all the stuff both planks, boards, rayles, and juyces and nayles and to
bring the stuff all in place and make for it three payre of stayres and
whatever else is requisite to compleate the said gallery, for which
he is to have i thirty ^pounds in good current pay or provisions.'
Also the said Henry Jaques shall have all the old stuffe of the old
gallery in the old meeting house. The said Henry Jaques is also to
lay a floore all over the meeting house from beame to beame and
the towne doth engage to provide juyces, boards and nayles,' and
so forth, and so forth.
From this it is evident that both houses were standing at the
same time. The old house stood north of the new one.
June 22d. The selectmen discharged the lot layers, ' as there is
no more land to be granted by the towne.'
The same month, c the meeting house was seated,' as it was called.
Every man and woman had his or her seat designated, the men and
women in separate seats. The galleries were, as now, on the north,
west, and south sides of the house, and were then considered as
the most desirable parts of the house. In the foreseat of the west
gallery, were thirteen men, 'which,' say the selectmen, (are as many
as can comfortably set in it, and no more may be imposed or
intruded into it.'
September 23d. Plum island was divided, to 'every one his
just right,' ' beginning at the upland neere Merrimack barre and so
extending to Sandy beach.'
September 25th. Another division was made, ' beginning at
Rowley bounds and reaching to Sandy beach.'
~ March 9th. General court repeal the laws against quakers.
Charles second proclaimed king, the eighth of August.
The following singular order is found in the Hampton records.
It is a curious illustration of the state of society at that period.
May I6th} 1661. ' It is ordered yt if any person shall discharge a gunn in
the meeting house, or any other house without leave of the owner or house
holder, hee or they shall forfeit five shillings for every such offence nor shall
any person ride or lead a horse into the meeting house under the like penalty.'
1662.
This year another physician, doctor Henry Greenland, with his
wife Mary, came to Newbury. He appears to have to have been a
man of good education, but passionate, unprincipled, and grossly
immoral. He of course soon became involved in difficulties with
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 65
his neighbors, and caused great excitement among the sober citizens
of the town, who had not been accustomed to such specimens of
immorality, as he had displayed before them.
' It pleased the Lord/ says the apostle Elliot, * to exercise the
country with a very severe drought, which some were so rash as to
impute to the sitting of the synod, but the Lord was pleased to bear
witness against their rashness, for no sooner was the synod met, June
tenth, but they agreed to set the next day apart to seek his favorable
presence, and to ask raine, and ye day following the Lord sent
showers from heaven, and visited the land with seasonable showers
of rain, week after week until the harvest.' #
March 3d. ' The marsh lands in the neck over the great river were
divided as the lands were in Plum island, beginning at the west
end.' f
This year the highway from Newbury to Haverhill was laid out.
' John Atkinson [hatter] had half an acre of land by the spring
near Anthony Morse, junior's, house.' f
Newbury was fined ten pounds for not sending a deputy to general
court. It was afterward remitted.
Captain Paul White was licensed by general court l to still strong
waters for a yeare and sell by the quart.' J
The county court ordered the road by Thorla's bridge, to be made
passable by the twelfth of October, 1662, under penalty of ten pounds.
On the twenty-ninth of March, an event occurred in Ipswich,
which caused great excitement in Essex county. On that day, one
J. P. was incarcerated in Ipswich, and i did that night break prison/
1 it being,' as the record informs us, < the first offence of this nature
committed in this country.'
The jailer, Theophilus Wilson, deposes, that, on that day, 4 he,
according to order of court, put him into prison, and lockt the dore
fast, and put the hasp on to the staple on the ontsyde of the dore^
which none within can unhasp, and left no tooles or means of light
in the prison.' J
It was afterward discovered that some of J. P.'s neighbors, not
liking his confinement, went to Ipswich in the night, ' nnhasped the
dore on the outsyde] and so forth, and let him return home.
In the quarterly court records, I find the following :
( We, James Ordway, John Woolcot. Peter Godfrey and Joshua Woodman,
do acknowledge that we are justly to be blamed to come into the seats of other
men contrary to the order of the selectmen and here by the presents we do
engage ourselves that we will keep to our own seats and not disturb any man in
their seats any more.' i This engagement was unto the selectmen the sixth of
June 1662.'
The cause of their offence was an apprehension that the select-
men had, without sufficient authority from the town, built some new
seats in the gallery and assigned them to some individuals. They
* Roxbury church records. f Town records. J General court records.
9
66 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
therefore took possession of these seats, to which the selectmen had
not given them any right. Hence there was a contention in the
meeting-house, a summons for them to appear at court, and a set-
tlement by their promise to behave better in time to come.
' The winter was very moderate. No frost in the ground till the
twentieth of December.' *
1663.
' January 26th. There was an earthquake, at the shutting in of
the evening,' one of the greatest in New England, and on February
fifth, another. The first shock continued above half an hour. On
the same day, at evening, another, and did not cease till July
following.
On the records of the court at Salem, I find the following, namely :
' May 5th, 1663. Lydia Wardwell on her presentment for coming naked into
Newbury meeting house. The sentence of the court is, that she shall be
severely whipt and pay the costs and fees to the marshall of Hampton for
bringing her. Costs, ten shillings, fees two shillings and sixpence.
The maiden name of the person, who was induced to make such
an exhibition in Newbury meeting-house, in the time of worship,
was Lydia Perkins, but at this time the wife of Eliakim Wardwell
of Hampton. The story is thus told by George Bishop, in his
i New England Judged.' It is proper to state, that, so far as I
know, he is, with one exception, the only writer, who attempts to
justify conduct so strange and fanatical.
1 His wife Lydia, being a young and tender chaste woman, seeing the wick-
edness of your priests and rulers to her husband, was not at all oftended with
the truth, but as your wickedness abounded, so she withdrew and separated
from your church at Newbury, of wrhich she was sometimes a member, and
being given up fo the leading of the Lord, after she had been often sent for to
come thither, to give a reason of such a separation, it being at length upon her
in the consideration of their miserable condition, who were thus blinded with
ignorance and persecution, to go to them, and as a sign to them she went in
(though it was exceeding hard to her modest and shamefaced disposition,)
naked amongst them, which put them into such a rage, instead of consideration,
they soon laid hands on her, and to the next court at Tpswich had her, where
without law they condemned her to be tyed to the fence-post of the tavern
where they sat — and there sorely lashed her with twenty or thirty cruel stripes.
And this is the discipline of the church of Newbury in New England, and this
is their religion, and their usage of the handmaid of the Lord, who in a great
cross to her natural temper, came thus among them, a sign indeed, signincatory
enough to them, and suitable to their state, who undeir the visor of religion,
were thus blinded into cruel persecution.'
In the same year I find the following, namely :
1 Elizabeth Webster for taking a faulse oath. The sentence of the court is that
she shall stand at the meeting house dore at Newbury the next lecture day
* Hampton records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURT. 67
from the ringing the first bell, until the minister be ready to begin prayer
with a paper on her head, written in capitall letters, (FOR TAKING A FALSE OATH
IN COURT,) the constable to see it done, or else to paye a fine of five pounds to
the treasurer, and to be disabled from taking an oath, and to pay cost and fees.'
1 She made choice to stand at the doore.' *
At the same court, ' John Emery was fined four pounds for enter-
taining quakers.'
His offence consisted in granting food and lodging to two men
and two women, who were traveling farther east. One of the
witnesses ' testified that he [John Emery] took them by the hand
and bid them welcome.' I shall make no comments on these extracts,
nor any apology for inserting them. The duty of an historian is to
find facts, and not to make them. An accurate picture of the sun
should exhibit its spots as well as its brightness. To veil the one,
or omit the other, \vould be a caricature, and not a likeness, and,
should the features I have attempted to delineate, here or elsewhere,
be deemed harsh and repulsive, the blame should be cast, not on the
accuracy of the painter, but the inherent ugliness of the subject
The first settlers of New England were a noble race of men, and
the wonder is, not that they had faults, but that they were so few in
comparison with all other sects and people of the age in which they
lived. *In the language of Bancroft, ' they, of all contemporary sects,
were the most free from credulity, and in their zeal for reform pushed
their regulations to what some would consider a skeptical extreme.
So many superstitions had been bundled up with every venerable
institution of Europe, that ages have not yet dislodged them all.
The puritans at once emancipated themselves from a crowd of
observances. They established a worship purely spiritual. To
them the elements remained but bread and wine ; they invoked no
saints ; they raised no altar ; they adored no crucifix ; they kissed
no book ; they asked no absolution ; they paid no tithes ; they saw
in the priest nothing more than a man. The church, as a place of
worship was to them but a meeting house ; they dug no graves in
consecrated earth. Unlike their posterity, they married without a
minister, and buried the dead without a prayer.'
On March thirty-first, doctor Henry Greenland was found guilty
of the charge preferred against him by Mary Rolfe. The court
sentenced him c to be imprisoned till next sessions of the court, then
to be whipt or pay a fine of thirty pounds and be bound to good
behaviour.'
One of the witnesses in his behalf, testified, that ' he had been a
soldier, and was a gentleman, and they must have their libertyes.'
Another asserted, that, as he was a stranger, and a ' great man, it
would be best not to make an uprore but to let him goe away
privately.'
On the twenty-seventh of September, 1664, he was convicted, with
captain Walter*Barefoote, of an assault on William Thomas, and
* County records.
68 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Richard Dole. He was again fined and bound to keep the peace.
He appealed to the general court, who confirmed his sentence, and
ordered him ' to depart the jurisdiction and not to practice physic or
surgery.' From 1666 to 1672 he was living in Kittery, where, for
the present, we will leave him.
June 18th. John and Rebecca Bishop sold to Peter Cheney * all
the mill and mill house lately erected in Newbury on the little river
with the stone, wheel, and so forth, and so forth, for two hundred and
fifty pounds sterling.'
July 26th. This day the reverend John Woodbridge returned
from England, where he had resided about sixteen years.
He was immediately engaged to assist his uncle Parker in
preaching. The town voted him thirty pounds for the first half year,
beginning the twenty-fifth of September, ' for his encouragement in
the ministry.'
November 10th. ' The country way according to order of court
was laid out from Mill bridge to Rowley bounds,' notwithstanding
the town's remonstrance.
As this < country way ' was laid out in a new place, causing the
town much expense, the inhabitants had remonstrated in a petition
sent to the general court the preceding June. Among other things,
they state, 'wee have already for many yeares made and maintained
an ancient country rode according to the order of the general court,
according to which our towne hath been modelled and men have
built and fenced, and also our ferry constituted, whereas our towne
might otherwise have been modelled with groat convenience, had it
not been for the country high way. All which notwithstanding, the
honorable county court is pleased to impose upon us this new coun-
try high way, and have enjoined us under a fine to make a way
over a great marsh of about a hundred rod by the end of June,
which the towne are in no wise comfortably capable to perform.'
After speaking of 'the extreme charge, which the towne necessarily
would be put to,' ' in purchasing land through men's proprietyes near
three mile,' which must be fenced, and bridges built over several con-
siderable swamps and small brooks, and so forth, ' beside the miry-
nesse of the said waye and unevenness of it by reason of the rocky
and low lande, through which the way is to goe,' they then petition
the general court, * that so great a burthen may not be imposed
upon us but that the country may be satisfied with the old antient
country roade, which we have from the beginninge of our towne
maintained,' or ' that their fine may be remitted, and that the said
new waye may be purchased, made and maintained at the charge
of the country or county, or by those that have occasion to make
use thereof.' June second, 1663.
Jocelyn, who was in New England this year, thus writes :
* On the south side of Merrimack river, and near upon the wide
venting streams thereof, is situated Newberrie. The houses are
scattering, well stored with meadow, upland, and arable, and about
four hundred head of cattle.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 69
1664.
March. On petition of lieutenant John Pike, an acre of ' land,
eight rods broad and twenty-two long was laid out to his brother
Thomas Turvill, beginning at a stake near the spring between
Henry Jaques' and George Littles' for to set up tanning of leather,
provided he follow his trade of tanning.' #
May 6th. l All horses and dry cattle to be cleared out of Plum
island, and all fences to be made up by the thirteenth of May.' #
July 6th. ' Giles Cromwell is to keep the boys in order in the
meeting house, and to give notice to selectmen of such as are out
of order, and to have six shillings for his paynes.' #
October 26th. ' Major part of the towne voted that Mr. Parker
should have but sixty pounds per year.' *
Here we have indirectly the first intimation of any difficulty
between the reverend Mr. Parker and a portion of the church. It
had been of long standing, and originated, as we shall see hereafter,
not from any difference in point of doctrine, or want of personal
respect and esteem, but solely from his change of views respecting
church government. Then- first recorded manifestation of their
disapproval of this change was the reduction of his salary, but the
next June, their sense of justice induced them to raise it again to
eighty pounds, per annum, which, notwithstanding all the subse-
quent difficulties, in which he was involved in consequence of his
change of opinion respecting church government and discipline,
was regularly paid to him through life.
June 26th." 'About this time began the blasting of the wheat to be
perceived.' f This was construed by the quakers as a judgment
from God, an evident token of his displeasure against the people
of Massachusetts for the cruel persecutions, which had been inflicted
on many of that persuasion in the state some years before. Similar
opinions were at this time entertained by all denominations of
Christians. If any calamity should fall upon their opponents, it was
a judgment ; if on themselves, it was a trial.
1665.
' Town voted to pay forty shillings for every wolf that is killed
within the towne.' ^
June 3d. Town voted that Mr. Parker ' shall have eighty pounds
a year, and Mr. Woodbridge sixty pounds.'
November 1st. c It was voted whether Mr. Woodbridge should
be chosen by papers to preach to the towne for one year. There
were four votes in the affirmative and thirty-one blanks.' ^
December 25th. Anthony Morse, senior, is to keep the meeting-
house and ring the bell, ' see that the house be cleane swept, and the
* Town records. t Roxbury church records.
70 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
glasse of the windows to be carefully look't unto, if any should
happen to be loosed with the wind, to be nailed close again.' *
4 The winter of 1664-65 was mild and moderate till the middle of
the month. On the fourth of February a comet disappeared, which
had been visible from the seventeenth of November 1664.'
' Winter and summer wheat, again struck with mildew.' f
At the close of this summer, Philip Carteret, having been appointed
governor of New Jersey, settled at Elizabethtown, which he made
the seat of his government, and despatched agents into New Eng-
land to publish the constitution and invite emigrants. In conse-
quence of this invitation, several persons went from Newbury and
settled in a township, which, in honor of the reverend John Wood-
bridge, of Newbury, was called Woodbridge, which name it still
retains. Of these emigrants from Newbury some returned, while
others remained, and became distinguished both in civil and military
life. Among them may be mentioned the names of captain John
Pike, the ancestor of general Zebulon Montgomery Pike, who was
killed at the battle of Queenstown in 1812, Thomas Bl cornfield, the
ancestor of Joseph Bloomfield, for some years governor of New
Jersey, John Bishop, senior and junior, Jonathan Haynes, Henry
Jaques, George March, Stephen Kent, Abraham Toppan, junior,
Elisha Ilsley, Hugh March, John Bloomfield, Samuel Moore,
Nathaniel Webster, John Ilsley, and others.
Daniel Pierce bought a tract of land in New Jersey of Mr. Ogden
JLuke Watson, and sold it to Henry Jaques.
This year Thomas Thorlay killed seven wolves in Newbury.
1666.
' March 8th. Liberty was granted to such as would build a
shelter for horses, by goodman [Abraham] Toppan's fence, provided
they do not make it above twelve foot high.' ^
March 13th. The town ordered that a small ' house shall be built
for shelter of the herdsmen, and a large pen for the cattle, and two
herdsmen shall attend the cattle all summer to keep them from
coming to the lower commons [below Artichoke river] and pen
them, every night.' ^
April 25th. ' Voted that Mr. Parker's eighty pounds by the yeare
should be paid him yearly and Mr. Woodbridge to have sixty pounds
a year till further order/ ^
' An army of caterpillars came this season, and a severe drought.'
4 Wheat mildewed again.' f ' The canker worm first appeared in
New England this year,'
* Town records. t Roxbury church records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1667-
' At a general meeting of the town, March first, Mr.
was voted (man by man called over,) to have sixty pounds a year
for preaching.' *
4 Winter very moderate, little snow or bad weather.'
1668.
In June the selectmen and other inhabitants of Newbury petitioned
the court at Salem that ' captain Paul White be licensed to sell
wine out of dores by retaile for the necessary relief of some sick or
other indigent persons by whom the churches exigencies have sundry
times been supplied, who also may the more conveniently accom-
modate the churches occasions from time to time, until some man
be licensed to keep ordinary here.'
By this it appears, that, at this time, there was no ' ordinary,' or, in
other words, no tavern in Newbury. From other documents in the
general court records we learn that it was difficult, and for a time
impossible, to induce any person to open a public house for the
accommodation of travelers, and so forth. At last Hugh March
consented to leave his farm and commence the tavern keeping on a
large scale in the year 1670. His expenses, as he himself informs
us, for fitting up his house, stables, and so forth, were more than
five hundred pounds — a large sum for those days. His stand,
which was, for many years, a noted place, was near the head of
Marlborough street, on the spot where Messrs. John and Stephen
Ilsley now reside. In 1673 he petitioned c against Paul White's
selling wine,' stating that ' so it is that captain White under colour
of providing the sacrament wines, doth frequently retaile wines unto
the inhabitants and others to the damage and disabling your petitioner.'
The quantity of wine used on sacramental occasions during the
year, was. as we shall hereafter see, very great.
*March '2'L Town voted counting man by man, that Mr. Wood-
bridge shall have sixty pounds a yeare for his preaching.' ^ This
was continued till May twenty-first, 1670, when the town voted that
* the order should be void.' *
In this year the meeting-house was again ' seated,' and a watch-
house built on the east side of the upper green.
March. l The town ordered that no horses shall be tyed within
side or without side the fence 'by the meeting-house gate, ( under
penalty ^^^^^ for each offence.' ^
- Tradition informs us that the meeting-house was surrounded with
' pales,' through which, by a gate or gates, the meeting-house was
entered. Near these gates the horses were tied, and they would
frequently get across the path, often to the great inconvenience of
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
those, who wished to go to ' meeting.' This induced the selectmen
to prohibit all persons from tying their horses outside of the fence.
To their great surprise, however, they found on the next public
meeting, several horses ' tyed ' inside the fence. This caused them
to make the order above-mentioned, forbidding all persons hereafter
to tie their horses any where, either inside the fence or out. Thus
much tradition, which derives some confirmation from the order
just mentioned, a great part of which on the origininal record, is
entirely illegible. V
December 3d. i The selectmen granted liberty to five persons to
build a pew for their wives at the east end of the south gallery to
the pulpit.' ^ This was probably the first pew ever built in the
' meeting house.'
December 21s£. A road was laid out ' from Goodwin's ferry to
Amesbury mill,' and ' one from Newbury to Rowley village,' now
Bradford.
April. Salisbury new town was called Amesbury, and a ferry
established there.f
1669.
The ecclesiastical difficulties, with which, in a greater or less
degree, the whole town had been agitated for the last twenty-four
years, had at this time arisen to such a height, that an appeal to the
civil authority was deemed necessary in order to adjust their differ-
ences and restore harmony among them. The primary cause of
the disturbances, was a change of sentiment, which Messrs. Parker
and Noyes manifested, respecting church government and discipline,
as early as 1645, as may be seen in the former part of this book.
In 1647 Mr. Noyes published in London a large quarto work of
ninety-five pages, entitled the ' Temple measured or a brief survey
of the Temple mystical, which is the instituted church of Christ.'
Of the author, the preface, written by another hand, thus speaks : ' he
is altogether free from a spirit of faction, seeking only truth and
satisfaction; and therefore he hath ingeniously laid down his
judgment, which is in some things coincident with the judgment
of the reverend presbyters of New England ; in some things con-
senting with our reverend assembly here 'in England and in some
things distant from them both ; being neither for Aristotle, nor for
Plato, but for truth; neither for Paul nor for Apollos but for Christ.'
The sentiments of Mr. Noyes may be learned from the following
extracts from the work above mentioned.
' The church is to be carried, not to carry ; to obey, not to com-
mand; to be subject, not to govern.' In another place he thus
writes : ' if all members, young and old, children and men, if thou-
sands together must judge and govern upon conscience together
with the presbytery, first, it must needs interrupt the work. Second,
* Town records. t Colonial records.
HISTORY OF XEWBURY. 73
it is work enough, a double labour for the elders to instruct the
church how to judge. There is more time spent in informing the
church, than in determining the case. Must elders hold the hands
of the common members (as the master teacheth scholars to write)
and act only by them ? Third, pride is an epidemical disease in a dem-
ocratical government Who is sufficient to hold the reins of author-
ity ? Where there are no standing magistrates in the commonwealth,
and in the church, no governors at all, the offspring is like to be
an Ichabod. Fourth, confusion and disorder are inevitable. Turbo,
ruunt. The church ought to be a pattern of punctual order. A
democracie is called by Plato, nundines populares. Fifth, as a
church must needs be too long a doing by so many, when it is easy,
so it must needs be done too soon by such as are precipitant, when
it is difficult. Some are conscientious and scrupulous, others
unreasonable, ignorant, youthful. This is a paidocracy as well as a
democracy. The seat of government is the seat of wisdom.'
Similar sentiments were embraced, we have reason to believe, by
Messrs. Parker and Woodbridge. Of the former, the reverend
Nicholas Noyes, in his letter in the Magnalia, expressly says : * he
no ways approved of a governing vote in the fraternity, but took
their consent in a silential way.' Of his uncle, Mr. James Noyes,
he thus writes : ' they who differed from him in smaller matters^as
to discipline, held a most amicable correspondence with him,' and that
during the time of his ministry, which ended by his death in 1656,
there was not ' any considerable trouble in the church.' That occa-
sional difficulties had arisen between the ministers and the people,
we have sufficient testimony. Differing as they did on the question
into whose hands the power of church discipline was committed,
occasions of disagreement must of necessity have arisen, especially
among a people so tenacious of their supposed rights, and so
exceedingly jealous of every real or apparent encroachment on
their power. After the return of Mr. John Woodbridge from Eng-
land, in 1663, he was employed by the town to assist his uncle
Parker in preaching. We find no record of any difficulty between
them and the people, till November first, 1665, when the record
informs us, that thirty-five votes ' by papers,' were cast, of which
four votes were for him, and thirty-five were blanks. Mr. Wood-
bridge continued to preach to the people, by an annual vote of the
town, with a salary of sixty pounds a year, till November twenty-
first, 1670, when the town agreed to employ him no longer. From
1665 to 1669, there is great reason to believe, that the whole church
and town were in a very excited and unbrotherly state, not from any
dislike to the doctrine, or objection 'to the character, of either Mr.
Parker or Mr. Woodbridge, for they were both highly esteemed,
and honored, but from a real or supposed infringement of their
rights and privileges as men and Christians. The church was divided
into two nearly equal parties, the one was called Mr. Parker's party,
and the other, Mr. Woodman's party, so called from Mr. Edward
Woodman, a man of talents, influence, firmness, and decision. As
10
74 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
our church records prior to 1674 have been lost or destroyed, we
extract the following detailed account from the records of the quarterly
court at Salem, where they may be found on file.
' To the honored court now sitting at Ipswich, March thirtieth, 1669.'
' We whose names are underwritten, for ourselves and others the inhabi-
tants of Newbury, doe humbly present, though to our great grief, that Mr.
Edward Woodman spake in a town assembly before strangers publiquely on
March first, 1669, that Mr. John Woodb ridge was an intruder, brought in by
craft and subtilty, and so kept in, notwithstanding he was voated out twice,
which we know to be untrue, and look upon as scandalous. Also he said to Mr.
Parker that he was an apostate and backslider from the truth, that he would set
up a prelacy, and have more power than the pope, for the pope had his council
of cardinals, that his practice or actings did not tend to peace or salvation, that
he was the cause of all our contention and misery. That you are an apostate
and backslider.'
i Also he said to captain Gerrish that he was no lover of the truth, that his
gray hairs would stand where captain Gerrish his bald pate would, all which we
humbly conceive tends not only to the reproach of the parties concerned, but
to the great disturbance of our peace both civil and ecclesiastical, and therefore
leave it to the serious consideration of this honored court for some suitable
redress as they shall think meet.
RICHARD KENT.
Witnesses. HENRY SHORT.
NICHOLAS NOTES. ANTHONT SOMERBY.
Ensign JOHN KNIGHT.
TRISTRAM COFFIN.
THOMAS HALE, senior.
JOSEPH MUZZET.
NATHANIEL CLARKE.'
The following depositions were also taken and put on file :
( The deposition of James Ordway, Abraham Merrill, and John Bayley.'
' These deponents say that when Mr. Woodman saith that Mr. Parker was
the occasion of these contentions by his apostacy and declension (he added)
from the principles that you have preached and practised, and also proved by
the word of God, that men's consciences were engaged in it that they cannot
depart from it unto this day.'
1 Sworn in court, the thirtieth of March, 1669.'
1 Richard Bartlet, James Ordway, and John Emery.'
' We testify that Mr. Parker in a public meeting said that for the time to come
I am resolved nothing shall be brought into the church, but it shall be brought
first to me, and if I approve of it, it shall be brought in, if I do not approve
it, it shall not be brought in.'
Sworn as above.
' The depositions of John Emery, senior, John Emery, junior, Abraham
Merrill, and John Bayley.'
1 These deponents say that as Mr. Woodman was speaking in the meeting,
March first, 1669, captain Gerrish stood up and interrupted him, mentioning
his gray hairs. Mr. Woodman said, captain Gerrish, my gray hairs will stand
in any place where your bald head will stand.'
Sworn as above.
' The deposition of William Titcomb, John Emery, Robert Coker and Thomas
Browne.'
1 These deponents say that upon the Lord's day, the twenty-first of March,
1669, after the exercise was ended, Mr. Parker put this to the members.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 75
That those that are for the discontinuance of my cousin Woodbridsre in the wav
of preaching, as formerly he hath done until farther order be taken, let them
speak.
• Afterwards Mr. Parker expressed thus, those that are for the continuance of
my cousin Woodbridge in the way of preaching as formerly he hath done let
them express themselves by their' silence.'
Sworn, and so forth.
See also the testimony of Pike, Brown, Emery, and others, in the
first part of this book, pages sixteen and seventeen.
To the complaint made against him to the court at Ipswich, Mr.
Woodman replied. This occasioned the following answer from Mr.
Parker's friends.
1 Whereas Mr. Edward Woodman in his plea or answer to the charges
exhibited against him hath laboured to prove Mr. Woodbridge to be voted from
preaching by a town record dated March first, 1665, the honoured court may
please to consider, first, it doth not appear that any notice was given to the
inhabitants of that particular respecting Mr. Woodbridge's preaching and so the
vote, if unanimous, had been invalid.
' Second, the vote as they call it consists of two parts. First, whether Mr.
Woodbridge should be chosen to preach to the town for one year. Second,
whether he should be chosen by papers. In which it may be observed that the
vote was not understood for near half of the company stood off from both as not
willing to have it questioned about silencing or calling Mr. Woodbridge from
preaching, namely to the number of thirty-one persons, and of them that did vote
by papers the record saith, and Mr. Woodbridge acknowledgeth, that four of them
were for Mr. Woodbridge's preaching, which, if it be taken for a legal vote, the
vote was for Mr. Woodbridge:s preaching. These things considered we humbly
conceive there will be no footing found for what Mr. Woodman and others labour
to cloud the matter withal.3
After hearing the evidence on both sides, the court pronounced
the following sentence :
{ March 30th, 1669. Having heard the complaint presented to this court
against Mr. Edward Woodman we do judge some passages relating to Mr.
Parker and Mr. Woodman to be false and scandalous, and that concerning
captain Gerrish reproachful and provoking, and the whole greatly offensive, and
have therefore ordered that the said Mr. Woodman shall be seriously and
solemnly admonished and enjoined to make a publique confession at the next
publique town and church meeting at Newbury of his sinful expressions and
just offence that he hath given, or else to pay five pounds costs and fees.
' I dissent from this sentence, Samuel Symonds.
( And I dissent, William Hathorne.
Mr. Woodman appealed from this judgment, to the next court of
assizes at Boston.
From this it appears that the court were not unanimous in their
sentence against Mr. Woodman. This is farther evident from the
following communication.
1 This court having heard the complaint made unto us by certayne members
of the church of Newbury against Mr. Edward Woodman (a member of the
same church) of several offensive words spoken by the said Woodman in a
town meeting against the reverend Mr. Parker then pastor, and Mr. Woodbridge,
76 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
who hath for divers years exercised his gifts amongst thom; and having
heard the answer of the said Woodman unto the particulars expressed in the
complaint and weighing the testimonies on both sides sworn in the case, wTe
apprehend and judge as followeth namely. That several words and passages
in the writing or complaint presented to the court and owned by himself or
proved by others, especially taken merely in themselves without his answer and
the testimony of others then present, are highly offensive and scandalous. But
considering his answers and the testimony together with the same, wTe find the
matter to be much altered from what the naked words as they are expressed in
the writing do hold forth. We perceive that a great part (if not a greater part)
of that church doe stand for the congregational way of church government and
discipline to be exercised amongst them (which is the way the churches here
doe professe to the wrhole world to be the way and only way according to
the gospel of Christ,) and that it is and hath been for a long time a very great
burthen and grievance to them, that they have not freedom in that respect,
(where there is occasion of actings) as by the word of God they ought to have,
and other churches have in this country, and at the beginning their own church
also quietly did enjoy for some space of time, and that the alteration hath
occasioned much differences and unquietudes amongst them. The whole case
thus considered and \veighed together the court doth desire and require that all
persons concerned on both sides, for the future doe their utmost endeavour to
settle truth and peace amongst them and freely to blame themselves at a con-
venient church meeting for their errors and miscarriages and actings or
unbecoming words in their publique agitations, and that Mr. Woodman in
particular should soe doe.'
• This was presented to this court as a suitable determination of the whole
case, heard in open court holden at Ipswich March thirtieth, 1669, to which we
subscribe
SAMUEL SYMONDS,
WILLIAM HATHORNE.'
This 'determination of the whole case/ by Messrs. Symonds
and Hathorne, did not, as will be readily supposed, give satisfaction
to either party, especially to the friends of Mr. Parker. On the
contrary, those who had complained to the court, against Mr.
Woodman, soon after sent in the following paper.
{To the honored court now sitting at Ipswich this twenty-eighth of
April 1669.
' Whereas upon searching the court records we find a paper in the court
beginning [this court having heard the complaynt and so forth] subscribed
Samuel Symonds, William Hathorne, wherein are several things charged, as
we apprehend illegally, on sundry among us, to our just grief, we desire the
favour of the court to accept this our paper, as a short vindication of ourselves,
till the opportunity shall be offered for our farther clearing.
t First, we look not on the paper as the determination or sentence of the
court, which, had it been, we durst not in any measure have replyed, or contra-
dicted.
1 Second, nor did we think it any legal evidence towards the issue of the
case, in which Mr. Woodman was presented for his miscarriage.
'Third, nor can we think it any legal charge to answer whereunto any
persons were summoned, or made any answer to ; or if it were a censure wre
know not that ever it was first examined, and indeed wre know not what to
make of it, but think it very hard to be in such a matter taxed before we were
examined.
' Whether the said gentlemen wrere the authors of it or no we cannot tell,
neither dare we affirm, yet finding such a paper wherein there is so great
reproof by false accusation insinuated against divers amongst us, we intreat the
court to accept our complaint, that we suppose ourselves illegally dealt with,
HISTORY OF NKWBURY. 77
seeing that our law assures us of this liberty among other, that no man's name
shall be blasted, but by virtue or equity of some law established among us.
• We acknowledge that no man is mentioned by name : yet when any man
is so decyphered, that any man. who reads it, may easily ghesse [guess] who is
intended there is lawful cognisance in law of such infamyes. unless the person
shall publickly disown it; else how shall men be righted against infamous
libels t
' These things being premised we desire the liberty of freemen to put in our
plea against such a paper of accusation as we find, with all due submission to
the court.
• First, we judge our case exceedingly prejudiced, that it is insinuated in
the preamble, that the complaynt is betwixt some members of the church, as
if the cause were merely ecclesiastical. We grant the persons interested on
both sides to be such, yet the cause presented is civil and criminal, not arising
from some difference of opinion about discipline, but a publick breach of the
peace against the plain words, as well as the intention, of the laws, which
breach of the peace and violation of the law, as freemen of this jurisdiction we
present to the cognizance of authority, desiring the redress of so great an evil,
which authority in other like cases hath taken notice of with just indignation.
' Second, we humbly conceive, that if the words taken in themselves are
highly offensive and scandalous the defendants' answer hath not made them to
be good, though he may pretend they may arise from difference of opinion,
for as we must not lie. neither must we slander, for God and his cause. His
putting of a fayr glosse will never make good by words, [that] which is evil
by deeds, no more than a quaker pretending conscience for reviling.
{ Third, we humbly present this to consideration that whereas the presenters
of the said Mr. Woodman did out of duty to God, his ministers and the law,
bring the case to the trial of justice, that for the time to come such irregulari-
ties, which tended to mutiny, and tumult might be prevented. We humbly
conceive the sentence of the said paper is such as that it takes off the blame
from the person presented, is a fact evident enough, else we know not the
meaning of those words. ' we find the matter much altered,' and loads the
plaintiffs and others of the church, ministers, and people with far greater crimes
than either Mr. Woodbridge hath done or ever justly could doe. yet can we
not find in any of the testimonies any one that proves in matter of fact any of
the conclusions, on which such a censure should be grounded. Somewhat it
may be there fell from Mr. Woodman in his speech, which among other false-
hoods by him charged on us, might give a hint of such a thing, yet we suppose
such a speech is far too weak to infer such conclusions, as the paper seems to
brand us with. Such as these.
• First, it intimates that though a great or greater part of the church stand
for the congregational way of church government and discipline, yet according
as other churches doe enjoy it, as the way of God, they cannot, which in point
of fact is utterly denied.
1 Second, that they have not their freedom to vote, or act, according to the
word of God. or according as other churches, or as themselves heretofore had,
which, if it were true, as the paper seems to accept it for a truth, were such a
scandal, as justly deserved reproof and censure, for that they who do it would
be accounted sacrilegious robbers of the churches, yet we assure ourselves that
none of the opposites dare affirm it. it being so notoriously and evidently false.
Let any act within twenty years or upwards be produced of this nature, that
hath been carried on without the churches' consent or the major part thereof.
We can evidence that Mr. Parker hath been blamed for bringing things of too
meane a nature to the churches examination, and strangers have taken notice of
the over much liberty of some in church actings.
t Third, we hope we have not deserved to be noted as a singular people
contrary to the professed persuasion and practice of all the churches which we
know not what the intimation of such a charge should aim at. but to raise an
odium on us in the country when we are innocent of any such thing.
' Fourth, then the alteration hath caused much difference and unquietness
among those, which by the intimation lights on the plaintiffs, or ministers, who
78 HISTORY OF NEWRURY.
have made the alteration, which is as false as the rest, yet the difference in
this case to be considered arises only from the manner of testifying the assent
or dissent of the church, not from, any substantial disagreement. Near thirty
years since at a synod at Cambridge it was proposed, and it was consented
unto by them, that if the ministers thought it most convenient to vote by speech
and silence, rather than by lifting up the hand, they had nothing against it,
seeing the one was a testimony of consent as well as the other, so this kind of
voting began and continued in practice without difference or interruption for a
good season. Afterwards when some difference arose at Newbury that there
wras need of a council, this among other things was pat in, and in fine it was
concluded and consented to by the people that things should be carried on in
this manner without disturbance. A third time near six years since there being
occasion of a council at Newbury (in all which transactions Mr. Woodman was
the chief instrument to oppose the minister) this among other differences came
into discourse. The same conclusion was as before that things should be car-
ried on in this way with love and peace, yet several times since and more
strongly now at last, Mr. Woodman by violence of opposition hath made open
protestation and resistance against it ; and no disturbance or alteration hath
been made but by them against a thing so long used and approved, and so we
leave it to any impartial judgment to determine who is the cause of that altera-
tion, which hath occasioned so much difference and unquietness, which though
it be imputed to the plaintiffs, yet we suppose it rather to be to the unquiet and
turbulent spirits of the opposites, and let any man judge whether this course
only (for there is no other) be a sufficient cause of complaining of so great a
burthen.
WILLIAM GERRISH. RICHARD KENT.
RICHARD DOLE. HENRY SHORT.
TRISTRAM COFFIN. ANTHONY SOMERBY.'
From subsequent events it is evident, that the action of the court
on the complaint exhibited against Mr. Woodman by the friends of
Mr. Parker, was not attended by any beneficial results. This, without
doubt, was partly owing to the fact, that the magistrates who had
cognizance of the case were divided in opinion. So far from resting
satisfied with the decision, or decisions, of the court, as the case
might be, each party returned home, confident of the rectitude and
justice of their cause, and determined not to submit to the other.
Each party claimed to be the church, as each claimed to have a
majority of the members.
' So sit two kings of Brentford on one throne,
United; yet divided, twain in one.'
On the third of November, a council was called, who thus report :
1 November 5th, 1669. We, the elders and messengers of our respective
churches, (who in answer to your desires expressed in your letter to them have
sent us hither where accordingly we have convened,) in the deep sense of your
soul afflicted state, the difficulty and intricacy of the matters before us our
own insufficiency to reach the narrows comprehended in your questions and
case, as it is circumstanced in the momentousness both of the nature of your
proposals and the issues of our answers in way of advice and determination
therein, have earnestly sought the face of the great Counsellor of his people,
and implored the mercy of the hearer of prayers in these so weighty concerns
to his name, the order of his house, the peace and welfare both of this and of
the rest of your churches. And in the awful apprehension of the all-seeing eye
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 79
upon us, as in all our transactions about the case presented to us, and of the
solemn account, which we must one day give thereof to the highest Lord and
Judge of quick and dead, after solemn and serious considerations had, and
disquisitions and searches made, of and into the particulars presented to us, we
have been moved, and. as we trust by the Holy Ghost to accord and issue in
this as the joint result of our minds, judgments and hearts therein as followeth,
namely :
' First, that the particulars respecting their dissenting brethren, declared to
us by the pastor of this church of Newberry and the brethren with him as
grievances to them being proved before us as true, we judge they were matters
of just offence to them, as being publique and deviations from the rules of the
gospel order, presented in the holy scriptures, and the answerable principles of
the churches here established and declared in the platform of discipline approved
for the substance by our general court to be and accordingly practised by the
congregational churches amongst us, namely, that in an organic church where
the pastor stands in a state of right administration, any brother or brethren less
or more in number should openly and frequently refuse to observe their pastor's
counsels or charges, to attend order of speech or silence and peaceably demean-
ing themselves in any church assemblies and matters there acted, or that they
should check, curb, oppose, contradict or molest him in the discharge of his
pastoral office, work or duty or secondly, that Mr. Woodman with a great part
of the members of the church instead of giving due satisfaction, oft times called
for from him and sundry of them unto their pastor, and the brethren adhering
to him, should publiquely without, yea against, the consent and prohibition of
their pastor, meet in a church assembly, act as a church by themselves, voting
these or those church orders of theirs, send messengers to call any other member
before them to give satisfaction to the church for matters offensive to them, as if
they were the church, which besides that it is cross to religion and reason that
in an organic body, which is but one entire ecclesiastical whole, consisting of
the officer and all the rest of the members of that church, that there should be
any regular orderly church, consisting of the major part of the brethren, severed
from others of their brethren, yea of their pastor, or persons without, and not
within the church, and such a company so acting as a church being no regular
church, all their actings as a church are to be accounted irregular. We judge
that such practices are breaches of church order, unity and peace, reproachful
to the way of our churches here, highly dishonorable to Christ and' the gospel,
and tend to confusion, undermining and destruction of gospel order and peace
in congregational churches amongst us, and that all these former irregulars
done by them as church acts are null, and it will be more offensive in the
dissenting brethren to act in any such way for time to come.
1 Secondly, that yet considering the time as an hour of churches' temptation,
the envy and subtlety of the common enemy of the churches, and his too much
influence upon the spirits even of godly minded ones also, together with the
remnants of the powers and deceits of the old man in the best, and considering
how most desirable, amiable, and every way most profitable it is for brethren to
dwell together in unity, and most dearly to love and tender one another in the
Lord, and therefore to' study to be quiet, to follow after things, wrhich make for
peace and wherewith they may edify one another, we advise Mr. Parker and
the brethren with him to use all gaining and winning means, that may be, that
they with their dissenting brethren may become one in the Lord as in former
times, meekly yet convincingly by arguments from scripture and reasons
grounded thereupon, (whether spoken to them, if opportunity of peaceably doing
thereof, or else by wrriting to them) to convince them of their irregularities and
duly to acknowledge the same, improving also any other helps for that end and
patiently waiting for a good issue of all means used and forbearing them in love
meanwhile.
1 Finally in hope and expectation of an amicable compliance we have suspended
any further counsel, which, if necessitated thereto, we shall advise as God
shall guide according to the rules of the gospel. And now reverend and dear
brethren, we commend you to God and the word of his grace, which is able to
build you up and give you an inheritance among them, which are sanctified.
80 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
And the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The
Lord be with you all.
THOMAS COBBET,
In the name, and with the consent, of the
November fifth, 1669. rest of the members of the council.'
The above advice, so laboriously written, does not, as might be
supposed, appear to have done any good, or to have ' reached the
narrows comprehended in the questions.' On the contrary the year
ended, leaving both parties less willing ' to love and tender one
another,' than they were at its commencement. So completely were
not only the church, but the people absorbed in this subject, and so
important was the issue of the contest deemed in point of principle,
that it affected all other matters. Even the military company was
in such a state as to require attention from the general court. From
their records is copied the following :
c May 19th. In consideration of the distractions of the military company in
Newbury, for the better composure and prevention of the increase thereof,
major general Leverett. and major Dennison are impowered to inquire into the
grounds thereof on the spot; and settle it if possible.'
As a curious illustration of the predominant influence, which, at
this time, and for many years before and after, ecclesiastical matters
in Massachusetts had in almost all transactions, the following letter
from the general court files is copied. The signers, it will be recol-
lected, were the two ministers of Rowley.
1 ROWLEY, July 24th, 1689.
1 May it please your honors,
The occasion of these lines is to inform you that
whereas our military company have nominated Abel Platts for ensign, we con-
ceive that it is our duty to declare that we cannot approve of their choice in that
he is corrupt in his judgment with reference to the Lord's supper, declaring
against Christ's words of justification, and hereupon hath withdrawn himself
from communion with the church in that holy ordinance some years, besides
some other things wherein he hath shown no little vanity in his conversation and
hath demeaned himself unbecomingly towards the word and towards the dis-
pensers of it.
1 Having given you this intimation, we leave the matter with your honors to do
as you see meet. Thus presenting our service to you and begging God's pres-
ence with you, rest your honors' servants for Jesus' sake.
SAMUEL PHILLIPS.
EDWARD PA is ON.'
In the midst of these difficulties, ecclesiastical, military, and so
forth, Mr. Parker continued his labors, and the people of both par-
ties regularly ' went to meeting.' On the twenty-fifth of February,
the selectmen, in consequence of 'complaints of considerable
persons for want of seats in the meeting house,' ordered three new
seats to be built, and fifty or sixty persons placed in them by the
selectmen, on certain conditions. For instance :
' In the second seat of the men's side below in the meeting house
is placed Daniel Lunt, James Smith and Joseph Coker, and if
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 81
Thomas Hale junior, refuse to pay his share to the new gallery seat
as others do, then James Smith is placed in the new gallery seat;
provided he pay his share, and Thomas Hale is to return to his own
place again. And if Stephen Greenleaf refuse also to pay his
share accordingly, then he is to return to his own place againe,' and
so forth, and so forth. =*
From the Salem court record it appears, that some of the people
were not satisfied with the seats assigned to them by the selectmen,
but took the liberty of choosing for themselves. Of two of them,
the court records thus speak : l John Woolcot and Peter Toppan for
disorderly going and setting on a seat belonging to others are
fined twenty-seven pounds and four shillings.'
On the seventeenth of November, there was a 'thanksgiving for
relief from drought and lengthening out the harvest.' f
1670.
In the early part of this year, John Webster was presented to the
court, < for reading a paper libel against Thomas Parker on a Lord's
day in February, a scandalous and reproachful libel/ The follow-
ing is a copy of the ' paper libel.' It is entitled, ' the answer of Mr.
Woodman and the brethren adhering to him and so forth.'
1 Whereas Mr. Parker and the brethren adhering to him, as he saith, have
lately read, or caused to be read, in the public congregation before the church
and towne a writing wherein is contained divers charges (some implicit and
some explicit) upon the brethren, which they say are opposed unto them, and
that they say are justly offended with them for sundry scandalous practices by
them committed; who by their disorderly carriage have demeaned themselves
unsuitable to the order of the gospel, and irreverently towards their pastor in
that they have not attended his counsel and declaration of the will of Christ, to
the frequent breach of order in public meetings and for acting as a divided
body from thw'r pastor and the rest of the brethren, voting their acts as church
acts, and publishing them with other particulars presented to the council lately
assembled, who determined, and we with them do judge, that such practices
are breaches of church order, peace and unity, also you seein to lay the major
part of the church under a censure and to deny any further treating with them
until they have reconciled themselves to their offended brethren by confessing
such faults as you have charged upon them. To these things thus charged
upon us, the major part of the brethren adhering to Jesus Christ and his word
do answer, that we do not judge ourselves guilty of those sins as you have
publiquely charged upon us. having duly examined our consciences and actions
by the word of God, and therefore cannot approve of your proceedings therein,
but do conceive that you have proceeded therein beside the rule that Christ
hath given his church to walk by. and have exercised lordship over God's heri-
tage by charging the major part of the brethren of the church, as we conceive
unjustly, with many sins, which you do not so much as name, nor specify in
any such way as whereby we may know what they are, much less to be con-
victed that we are guilty of such sins, but under general heads of sins, as that
we know not what they are for the general of them, nor who are actually guilty
of them, if any such should be committed by any of the brethren. Therefore
it cannot tend to conviction or reformation of sin, but rather as we conceive it
* Town records. t Colonial records.
11
82 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
must proceed from some distemper of spirits, and so to be accounted to cast an
odium upon us and upon the cause we maintain. We therefore conceive that
that writing is not regular, nor that which will stand with the rule of the gospel,
to proclaim before the church and the town that we are sinners and that you are
justly offended with us before you have used any due or regular means to con-
vict us, or made any due proof against us that we are such as you have pro-
claimed us to be, therefore we take it to be a sentence before judgment, the
coarsest proceeding among men. We do therefore hereby testify that we are
justly offended with your irregular proceeding in casting such public scandals
upon us without due cause and besides due order, and we cannot satisfy our
consciences, otherwise than to declare our dissatisfaction with your proceedings
and shall take into due consideration what God doth farther call for at our
hands to bear farther witness against such doings and for the reformation thereof.
'Also we do bear witness against your two sermons out of Matthew^ 18 : 17
the one presented January thirtieth, and the other February second. We con-
ceive you have not followed the mind of Christ in several things contained in
the same sermons, but contrary thereunto, and contrary to the order of the
churches established by the general court, contrary to the synod booke, contrary
to the practice of all the churches in this jurisdiction, tending to the breach of
peace civill and ecclesiastical, and has its tendency to the undermining and
destroying of all church order allowed in this jurisdiction.
1 This we read as a complaint to the church.'
The court records proceed to state, that ' John Webster is charged
with publishing the contents of this paper annexed in the open
congregation at Newbury on the Sabbath day after meeting without
leave obtained from the elder which was done at or about the
thirteenth of February, 1670. Question. Guilty or not guilty?'
To which the jury reply, < we find according to evidence given that
John Webster read the contents of this paper annexed in Newbury
meeting house.'
The next account I find of the proceedings of the brethren, is the
following from the quarterly court files in Salem. It will be recol-
lected that each party claimed to be the church, and to have a
majority of the members. It is a copy of a paper sent to Mr.
Parker by Mr. Woodman and his party. It is as follows :
c The church having seriously considered of the complaint brought io us by
Mr. Woodman against our reverend pastor, master Parker and do jiulut- ii
clearly proved by sufficient evidences, and much of it known to our selves t,,
be true, do judge that you have been instrumental of the divisions and troubles,
that have a long time [beenj and still are, continued in this church, partly by
your change of opinion and practice and several times breaking promises 'and
covenants or agreements with the church, and other things contained in the
complaint, therefore we cannot but judge you worthy of blame, and do hereby
blame you, and for the restoring of peace to the church we are enforced, though
with great grief of heart, to suspend you from acting any thing that doth apper-
tain to your office, in administring seals and sacraments, or matters of govern-
ment as an officer, until you have given the church satisfaction therewith. We
do desire and admonish you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ speedily to
endeavour that God may have his glory by it and the hearts of your grieved
brethren in the church may be comforted and in the mean time as a gifted
brother you may preach for the edification of the church if you please. Your
loving but afflicted brethren of the church of Newbury. Signed by us in
behalf of the church.
RICHARD DUMMKK.
1 March sixteenth, 1670. RICHARD THORLA.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 83
'This was brought to Mr. Parker by Archelaus Woodman. William Titcomb,
Richard Bartlet and Samuel Plumer. and Samuel Plumer read it5
Witnesses.
RICHARD KNIGHT. ANTHONY SOMERBY.
NOTES. SAMUEL LOWLE.
1 After sunset William Titcomb, Stephen Titcomb. Stephen Greenleaf; Rich-
ard Bartlet and Caleb Moody came with a message to Mr. Parker and told him
they were sent from the church to give him notice that the church had chosen
t\vo ruling elders, namely. Mr. Dummer and Mr. Woodman, and they were to
send to the two neighbouring churches to join with them to ordain them upon
this day sevennight. Witnesses to the message of the church, captain G&rrish,
Richard Knight. Nicholas Noyes; John Knight, senior. Mr. Woodbridge and
Anthony Somerby.'
1 We whose names are here underwritten do consent to the writing, which do
declare an act of the church laying Mr. Parker under blame, and suspending
him from all official acts in the" church. Dated sixteenth of March, 1670.
MR. RICHARD DUMMER. JOHN BAILEY.
MR. EDWARD WOODMAN. JOB PILSBURY.
ARCHELAUS WOODMAN. STEVEN SWETT.
WILLIAM MOODY. BENJAMIN ROLF.
*" WILLIAM ILSLEY. JOHN WELLS.
FRANCIS PLUMER. NICHOLAS BATT.
WILLIAM TITCOMB. ABRAHAM TOPPAN.
JOHN EMERY, senior. ANTHONY MORS, senior.
JOHN EMERY, junior. WILLIAM SAWYER.
RICHARD THORLA. EDWARD WOODMAN, junior.
JOHN MERRILL. WILLIAM PILSBURY.
FRANCIS THORLA. CALEB MOODY.
EDMUND MOORES. JOHN POORE, senior.
STEPHEN GREENLEAF. JOHN POORE, junior.
THOMAS BROWNE. JOHN WEBSTER,
ABRAHAM MBKRII.I,. ROBERT COKER.
BENJAMIN LOWLE. JOHN BARTLET, senior.
RICHARD BARTLET. JOHN BARTLET, junior.
SAMI-EL PLUMER. EDWARD RICHARDSON.
JOSEPH PLUMER. JAMES ORDWAY.
THOMAS HALE, junior. 41.'
Mr. Parker then sent the following letter to Mr. Woodman and
his company.
'March 16th, 1670. Having so frequently and seriously testifyed against
your irregular actings (determined to be such by the council) it cannot be
expected that I should concur with you to promote any disorder and consent to
the erecting of any new form of government contrary to the received profession
and constant practice of the churches here amongst us.
Your carriages have been such in these transac tings, as have reflected great in-
famy and reproach on me. I cannot consent to agree with you to promote you in
your way. till by some publick audience I shall have vindicated myself from any
unjust aspersion you have cast upon me. My compliance with you may by others
be interpreted a judging of myself guilty, and that therefore I am willing- by com-
position to make up my own errors and' miscarriages. Four of the brethren have
been publickly complained of and brought before the church to answer for their
publick otlences, their answer through your meanes and their open refusal hath
been interrupted. I shall not willingly consent to any motions from you that
may hinder their just conviction, nor do I think that any of your designes are
to be attended to till this be duly examined and judged. Once more I earnestly
desire you to consider yourselves, and not go on in such irresrular courses, which
though you seem to justify yourselves in. yet assuredly will prove evil in the
end. Do not thinke it a light matter to break the unity and peace of the church,
84 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
hinder the edification of the church, cast contempt on the ministry, grieve your
pastor and brethren, give offence to other churches, and bring up an evil report
and cast reproach upon the government of the churches here, and once more I
entreat you to think of some way of reconciling our differences, which we think
will only be by consenting with us to call a regular council, resolving to submit
to their advice. If we cannot prevail with you by this motion, we shall be forced
to consider what courses shall be taken to defend ourselves, and blame us not
for using any lawful meanes whereby we redress your sin and our distractions.
THOMAS PARKER.
1 Th« preceding paper Mr. Parker sent to Mr. Woodman and his company by
seven of the brethren, wTho when they had read it to them were desired to ab-
sent themselves from them, and towards night they sent the ensuing paper,'
namely.
f Reverend sir,
t Mr. Thomas Parker,
1 Hearing a bruite about ye towne of an intention of some
of your party to complain at Ipswich court of several brethren of their personal
and common weakness, we thought good to put you in minde how far it is from
the rule of Christian love so to practice one against another before court and
county, which might be healed at home with a word of reproof from one brother
to another according to the mind of God, which saith, thou shalt not hate thy
brother in thy heart, neither shalt thou suffer sin upon him. We would desire
you to consider that yourselves are men of infirmity as well as we are. and in case
your practice in this kind should provoke us to do the like, what appearance of
revengeful doings w^ould there be in the face of the country, and no end could
appear but to vent corruption towards one another, and nothing attained thereby
of that concernment, to which we pretend ourselves conscientiously engaged,
but to vent our stomachs one at another to the great dishonor of God, reproach
of religion, and to put advantage into the hands of wicked men to speak re-
proachfully of religion in general. More rather we desire that we may be of
one mind so far as to cover the shame of each, other, when no good end can be
obtained in opening of the same, and commit our case as it is conscientious to
us to the determination of the general court, to which we must sit down, either
active or passive, without which we see no hope of issue, and for the avoiding
of offence, what may be, we will state our complaint at home, and you shall
have a copy of it in case you will agree there to answer to it which will bee
the most likely way to issue our endless and boundless confusions, that we
do know of.'
EDWARD WOODMAN
In the name of the church.'
1 Received the above the twenty-third of March 1670, read by Samuel Plumer,
ferryman, and brought by John Webster.'
The following by Mr. Parker and his friends needs no explanation.
1 March 19th, 1670. It is too wofully known what great and how many conten-
tions have troubled this church for sundry years, what means have been used
from time to time for reconciling of them. We have the testimony of a council
of nine churches concurring with us that Mr. Woodman and those that have ad-
hered to him have been the causes of a disturbance. What patience have
been used towards them, yet what opposition have been made by them, how irrev-
erently they have carried themselves in presence of God in sundry church meet-
ings, what impediments they have cast in our way, whereby church adminis-
trations have not only wanted their solemnity, but also have been hindred so as
that just discipline could not be executed. These things are all publickly known.
But especially their actings on the Lord's day January twenty -ninth, 1670, which
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 85
have since bin in several meetings continued by them. We have often minded
them and earnestly desired that they would consent with us to call a council as
an ordinance of G'od, commonly practised by the churches of this country as a
hopeful meanes of a reconciliation, which motion of ours hath been as often by
them refused as by us proposed. In conclusion they have so far proceeded in
their irregularities and miscarriages as that March sixteenth they have sent a
writing to Mr. Parker their pastor whereby they do signify that they do suspend
him from acting any duty of his office. They have chosen two ruling elders
imposing them on the pastor and the church contrary to their consent, whereby
they would not only deprive this church of the holy ordinances, which Christ
hatn given them, but have hereby cut themselves off from the communion of
the church.
1 In consideration of which premises (to mention no more) we the pastor and
brethren of the church of Newbury, in the name and fear of the Lord Jesus
Christ in way of defence of his poor flock here that they may not be left as
sheep without a shepherd, and in vindicating the honor of our Lord Jesus Christ
and his ordinances, not knowing any other regular way left according to the rule
of the scripture, than to withdraw from them, who walk inordinately and cause
division ; we do hereby declare that for the future we do renounce communion
with all those brethren that have so deeply violated the communion of Christ's
church, nor shall we accept them as regular members of the church of Christ
among us till God shall give them a mind to see and heart to acknowledge and
confess their great offences, which we earnestly desire of him to grant through
Jesus Christ.
'At a church meeting March twenty-second 1670.
' Agreed that this paper should be annexed to the vote that was passed the
Lord's day March nineteenth 1670 that those brethren that have acted in the
paper sent the sixteenth of March 1670 to the pastor, wherein they suspend the
pastor from his office, we do renounce communion with them in the communion
of the Lord's supper and in the administration of discipline until they give us
satisfaction.'
THOMAS PARKER.
The next day, March twenty-third, Mr. Parker and some brethren
with him, sent the following paper to Mr. Woodman's party.
c That there may be nothing wanting in us to evidence that love and respect
unto you, which brethren ought to have one towards another, and the duty we
owe to God binds us to, understanding by your messengers that you intend to
ordain two ruling elders, we cannot but once more motion to you, that though
you little regard the offence and grief of your pastor, brethren and the churches
of God abroad, which we suppose you ought to do, and if you have any bowels
of love left, we hope you may do, yet we earnestly intreat you not to despise
the Lord Jesus Christ by making his ordinances contemptible. Do you not
know how distasteful it will be to him to profane his holy things ? Do you think
he will own them for his ordinances, which you make use of to advance your
owne humours and divisions 1 Do not despise the civil authority above us, we
have cause abundantly to thank God that they will countenance and protect us
in the enjoying what Christ allows us, but you know that the rale of the scrip-
tures and theirs concurring with it is that elders should be blameless, nor do
they allow any to be ordained that are scandalous, and you know that Mr.
Woodman, one of them that you have chosen stands publickly charged with
several scandals, nor hath he to this day endeavoured to satisfy his brethren. If
you should still persist and go on after "this our advice, which in love and affec-
tion we give unto you, we hope we have discharged our duty and leave you to
his judgment, that will in his time judge every thing in truth. In the mean
while this shall stand as an evidence for us that we have done our endeavour to
prevent your shine.'
THOMAS PARKER.
86 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
' Names of those, who adhered to Mr. Parker and did not act in Mr. Parker's
sentence.'
RICHARD DOLE. JAMES KENT.
JOHN KENT. RICHARD KENT.
THOMAS HALE, senior. RICHARD KNIGHT.
JOHN KNIGHT, senior. JOHN KELLY.
- JAMES JACKMAN. ROBERT LONG.
DANIEL PIERCE, junior. HENRY SHORT, senior.
NICHOLAS NOYES. SAMUEL MOODY.
THOMAS TURVILL. HENRY JAQUES.
Captain WILLIAM GERRISH. ROBERT ADAMS.
.TRISTRAM COFFIN. JOSEPH MU/ZEY.
NATHANIEL CLARK. WILLIAM CHANDLER.
Captain PAUL WHITE. Mr. RICHARD LOWLE.
WILLIAM MORSE. ANTHONY SOMERBY.
JONATHAN MORSE. ABIEL SOMERBY.
*ABEL HUSE. Mr. HENRY SEWALL.
JOHN DAVIS. GEORGE LITTLE.
Thirty-two regular members.
Mr. JOSEPH HILLS. Mr. JOHN WOODBRIDGE.
DANIEL PIERCE, senior. RICHARD PETTINGELL.
JAMES SMITH. JOHN SMITH.
Though no members.'
On the nineteenth of April, the ex-parte council, which had assem-
bled November fifth, 1669, met again at Newbury. The following
is 'a copy of the request presented by Mr. Woodman and the
brethren with him to the council.'
* The major part of the brethren of this congregation doth in all humble wise
desire this honored and reverend assembly to take into their serious considera-
tion our sad and distracted condition, who have spent twenty-five years and
more in uncomfortable and unprofitable contention and division, whereby God
hath been much dishonored, religion much disadvantaged, our souls much
impoverished and our credit as a church much impaired, defamed throughout
the country for an unquiet people and unreconcilable by the long continuance
of our difference and dissension, and now of late the cry hereof hath been
more loud in the ears of the churches than in former times, which produced
this effect. The messengers of nine churches are come to see whether things
are amongst us according to the cry that their ears are filled withal, whom we
do heartily wish that God would make instruments for the settlement of peace
and truth amongst us, and so throw down the strong hold that Satan has
erected against us for the obtaining of which end our impartial request to this
reverend assembly is that the ground and causes of our long dissensions may
be thoroughly inquired into. Among physicians it is a maxim that when it is
known what the disease is and where it is settled, it is half cured. Our earnest
desire is that you would grant us three things. First, that you would cancel any
hand writing signed by yourselves against us, our case not being heard.
Second, that you will be pleased to hear our case and give us your advice, not
as a council, (we having had no hand in your call, but in an orderly way the
hands of two thirds of the church lifted up against it) but as honored and
reverend brethren, giving your advice tending our sad and solemn estate.
' Third, that you will lay aside all prejudice against us, which you may
receive by so many private informations and instigations against us and now
begin to hear what both parties can say for themselves as to the case in hand,
as if you had heard nothing concerning the same.
' It is no small trouble upon our spirits that we should be so ill resented in
the hearts, and so ill spoken of amongst many godly and reverend persons (as
we conceive) without any just cause at all as unto man, especially when we
consider the pretended cause, which is some grand defect in matter of religion
as a people declined and fallen from something therein, which maketh our
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 87
persons offensive and out of favour with many. If there be any thing of that
nature, of which we are guilty, it must be in matter of faith or in church order.
As for matters of faith, we "know not wherein we differ from the godly in
general what order soever they are under.
1 As concerning church order or discipline we know not what may be against
us. for we wholly own that, which the New Testament doth clearly hold forth
as the mind of Christ to his church, that which the general court hath estab-
lished for the synod book, we hold the substance of it. We own Mr. Hooker's
Polity, Mr. Mather's catechisme, Mr. Cotton's Keys, for the substance of it.
That which the churches have practised in general with a joint consent as far
as we know. Yea that, which hath been New England's glory, in which God
hath come nearer to them than to any other people. And the way, in which
the Old and New Testament do prove to be the instituted way of God's
appointment for his churches to walk in. But indeed we have cause to doubt
that the offence here against us here at home is because we abide constant to
those principles and will not turn presbyterians. As for our controversy it is
whether God hath placed the power in the elder, or in the whole church, to
judge between truth and error, right and wrong, brother and brother, and all
things of church concernment. It is denied that the fraternity have any thing
to do with it, but the minister only, and if his determination be not approved of,
the persons asrijrieved may appeal to all the ministers in the country. And it
is come to that passe that such as do not consent hereto are Corathites, and like
the sons of Eli. that make the holy things of God to be despised, and upon this
ground is our division and contention. Principles preached and endeavoured
to be practised, one contrary to another, have made two sorts of professions,
contrary one to another, whereby we differ almost in all things in church and
town affairs. And yet we that to this day have stood unmoveable to those
principles proved by the scriptures in books of controversy, in catechisms by
the synod, by the ecclesiastical laws confirmed, and approved of by the
practice of all churches in general, are tost up and down by the mouths of
some unworthy persons as declmers to levelism, to Morellianism and are a
people that nothing will satisfy.
1 Thus having opened to this honored and reverend assembly in general the
state and condition of this poore distracted con«TPuation, our earnest desire is
that you will be pleased to apply your wisdom to the uttermost for our healing,
and not conceit that a slight plaster will heal us. for our wound is festered, our
disease is rooted. God did once complain that the wound of the daughter of
his people was healed slightly, and so it brake out again. Consider we beseech
you that to heal breaches and repair desolations in churches is not a work of an
'inferior nature, for if peacemakers shall be called the children of God. it doth
greatly concern you to improve the opportunity God hath put in your hands to
make peace and truth dwell together in this poor distracted congregation. The
which that you may do. the God of peace guide both your hearts and lips to
create peace for us" so shall we record in our hearts and acknowledge with our
lips to the praise of God that under himself he hath delighted to make you
instruments of our peace and repairers of the breach in this congregation.
1 These things we desire of the honored and reverend assembly, not as of a
council, but as above premised, as honored friends and brethren.'
(Before the council returned their answer, the following script
was sent in, namely : )
* Honored and reverend friends, this is as an addition to our first request, that
in case you will not be pleased to cancel what you have signed against us, that
you give us liberty to speak to that case before any other thing be brought in
agitation.'
£THE ANSWER FROM THE COUNCIL.'
' To Mr. Woodman and the brethren with him.
' Though we do. and cannot but. assert ourselves as a council,
consisting of elders and messengers of churches, yet for the present waving
88 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
that consideration, having weighed your affectionate motion, we shall be ready
to hear your case, provided that you will engage to submit actively or passively
to such advice as we shall commend unto you therein according to the word of
God. THOMAS COBBET
In the name and with the consent of the elders and
messengers of the churches assembled.'
ANSWER.
1 We thankfully acknowledge your condescending to hear our case, and do
seriously profess that our aim and end is to hear the advice of yourselves
therein in order unto practice and do solemnly engage to the utmost of our
ability to receive with all readiness, and attend with all diligence whatsoever
scripture light you may impart unto us according to the best of our understand-
ing and consciences.
EDWARD WOODMAN,
WILLIAM TITCOMB,
ARCHELAUS WOODMAN,
April nineteenth, 1670. CALEB MOODY,
In the name of the rest.
1 On the nineteenth day in the afternoon Mr. Parker and the brethren with
him their grievances were read in publick.
1 On the twentieth day Mr. Woodman's twenty-six grievances were read.
1 On the twenty-first day another grievance was sent in by Mr. Woodman's
partie, signed by William Titcomb and Caleb Moody in the name of the rest.'
' On the twenty-second of April 1670 the council came to the following
result.'
' COVENANT.'
( We whose names are underwritten do hereby testify and declare that we do
fully consent and agree unto the covenant and agreement contracted and made
betwixt Mr. Parker, our reverend pastor, and Mr. Woodman and the brethren
that are with him, that is to say that the synod book called the platform of
discipline with the other four articles shall be our rule in the church of
Newbury for our practice in all administrations, because we take it to be an
explanation of the scriptures, and a rule agreed upon as a means to avoid all
future divisions and contentions, we mean the agreement made before and by
the help of the messengers of nine churches, contained under five heads, signed
under the hand of the moderator and scribe of the assembly, in witness where-
unto and in witness whereof we the assembly set our hands.'
( Articles of accommodation betwixt Mr. Parker of Newbury, Mr. Woodman
and the brethren with him mutually agreed upon before the council at New-
bury April twenty-second, 1670.
( First, that the platform of discipline, established by the general court, prac-
tised by the churches of New England, shall be the rule or standard of the
congregational way according to which the church of Newbury do resolve both
pastor and brethren to act in all church administrations.
i Second, that all matters of controversy being considerable and of moment,
not issued before the pastor or elders to mutual satisfaction of parties concerned,
shall be brought to the church according to the said platform.'
1 Third, that they, who are propounded for admission into the church shall
stand some considerable time, at least a fortnight, and public warning given on
the Lord's day, when they are to be admitted.
1 Fourth, that no difference shall be made in admission of members into the
church upon account of their difference of judgment as to the congregational
way pro or con, the persons being orthodox and of good conversation.
1 Fifth, that, when the providence of God shall give an opportunity of regular
call of any other officer, it shall be attended by the church according to what
is laid down in the said platform of discipline, chapter the eighth.
THOMAS COBBET, Moderator.
Signed by Mr. WOODMAN, ) ANTIPAS NEWMAN, Scribe.
Mr. DUMMER and 38 others. )
HISTORY OF NEWBUKY. 89
This second attempt of the council, to reconcile the conflicting
opinions, and harmonize the discordant feelings, of both parties,
was of no avail. The truce was of short duration. Before the
close of the year, the t articles of accommodation ' appear to have
been entirely forgotten, and the storrn, which had apparently sub-
sided, again raged more fiercely than ever ; and it was not until the
lapse of several years that peace was finally restored. The ' distrac-
tions in the military company ' still continued.
' On May eleventh, the court, having left it to the care of the
major general to make temporary provision for military officers at
Newbury, who did appoint Archelaus Woodman lieutenant, and
Stephen Greenleaf ensign, confirms their appointment.' Both of
these officers were of Mr. Woodman's party.
On March seventh, ' Peter Cheney proposed to the town for half
an acre of land on or about the little hill this side the mill, to build
a wind mill upon to grind corn for the town, when the water mill
fails.' This was granted by the town, ' upon condition that he do
build a good mill to answer the end proposed for and so long as the
mill is made and maintained for the said service and no longer.'
This mill stood on the ' little hill,' near the mill bridge, or ' four
rock,' as it is sometimes called, and remained there till Mr. Cheney
removed to Byfield, in the year 1687.
May 2lst. ' It was voted that the order in the town book, that
gives Mr. Woodbridge sixty pounds a year for his preaching is
made void.' *
September 19£//. ' It was voted that the selectmen shall take care
that ****** ****** fence in no more [land] than his due.' *
* The town granted to William Titcomb and Amos Siickney the
Little pine swamp to be their propriety, with skirts of the common,
provided they make and maintain a sufficient fence about the hole
for the safety of the cattle from time to time.' *
The ' pine swamp ' mentioned above, is the tract of land on the
south side of Oak-hill cemetery, and \vas, it appears, surrounded by
the common. The town also voted, ' that the selectmen should
order Thomas Turvill to his kinsman's, also to be helpful to the
poore.' *
This is the first intimation, except the case of John Eels, the
bee-hive maker, that the town had any occasion to make pro-
vision for the poor. Turvill went to reside with his 'kinsman,'
Henry Short, in whose old account book I find the following
inventory. It was taken May twenty- second, 1673, when he had
made an agreement with the town, to keep Thomas Turvill for
three shillings per week.
'The following is an account of what clothes he had and their value,
appraised by three of the neighbours.
* Town records.
12
90 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
'May 22d, 1673.
An old vvorne out coat and briches with an old lining, £0 65. Orf.
A thread bare, tho indifferent close coat and doublet with an old
wast coat, £10 0
Two shirts and a band 11s., a pair of shoes, 4s., 15 0
An old greasy hatt, 6d, a pair of stockings, Is., 16
An old doublet, an old wast cote and a pair of old sheep skin
briches, 4 0
£2 6s. 6d.
In 1675 his clothes were appraised again by three neighbours and
the amount was £2 12s. 5d.'
' There was a great drought this summer/ *
1671.
At the April term of the court at Ipswich, the following complaint
was entered. It needs no explanation, as it is sufficiently clear and
explicit.
' To the honored court at Ipswich.
1 Having tried all private means and publick ecclesiastical by councils accord-
ing as we were directed by our honored magistrates, all which since they prove
unsuccessful, nor can we see any hope of silencing, much less of curing, our
difficulties and fearing lest such miscarriages may have an influence, not only to
breed public disturbance in other churches, some sparks whereof already ap-
pear, but may break forth into open factions and mutinies, having no other rem-
edy we humbly conceive it our duty, as being necessitated to it, to present our
case to civil authority intreating them at least to redress such miscarriages as
are contrary to the known laws of the country, and so, contrary to the public
peace. Title ecclesiastical section fourteen is forbidden contemptuous behav-
iour toward the wrord of God preached, or the messengers of the same, or cast-
ing any reproach on their doctrine and persons, to the dishonour of our Lord
Jesus, disparagement of his holy ordinances, and making God's ways contemp-
tible and ridiculous, as sect, chapter heresies n. seven. Every person, that
shall revile the person or office of magistrates, or ministers, such person, or per-
sons shall be severely whipt or pay trie fine of five pounds. Likewise it is pro-
vided, chapter first, that no man's honour or good name shall be stained.
' First, as offenders against these laws we humbly present to this honored court,
whether all those, that call themselves the church and brethren of the church
of Newbury, who have irregularly convened, have publickly read and debated
certain articles presented to them by Mr. Edward Woodman against our pastor,
Mr. Parker (whose inoffensiveness is generally known) tending to his great re-
proach and infamy, and have as appears by their publick writing judged and
determined the said Mr. Parker to be the cause of their divisions and troubles
to have broken several covenants and agreements with the church (as may more
fully appear by the articles exhibited by the said Mr. Woodman against him)
and therefore do publickly blame him, yea so deeply that they take upon them
to suspend him from his office, which articles upon due examination, we doubt
not but will appear vanities, yet their publick actings being bruited over the
country must need tend to the great reproach of Mr. Parker when they shall
hear so many articles and such a censure, and in particular we present to you
Mr. Woodman, the plaintiff, and Mr. Richard Dummer, whom they termed the
president, Archelaus Woodman, and William Titcomb, moderators, and Samuel
Plumer and Richard Bartlet, messengers, who are able to inform of the rest.
* Roxbury church records.
HISTORY OF XEWBURT. 91
1 Second, whether Mr. Edward Woodman, who was formerly convicted of his
scandalous reviling Mr. Parker, besides frequent contemptible speeches and
threatenings of him be not fallen into the same offence by publickly affirming
that Mr. Parker hath broken covenant three times already, and no covenant will
stand before him. Likewise in the same law underneath whosoever shall go
about to destroy or disturb the order or peace of the churches established in this
jurisdiction on groundless conceits and so forth. Now as contrary to this,
' First, whether it be not factious for a part of the church without the knowl-
edge and privity of the pastor and brethren to meet together and carry on church
affairs in a way of complaint against their pastor, and whether this may not be
accounted an act of conspiracy against their pastor and the church, yet this has
been done by them at Stephen Greenleaf 's house, where were present Mr.
Woodman, Mr. Dummer and many ethers as we are informed.
1 Second, whether it be not a disturbance to the order of the churches for Mr.
Woodman at most but a deacon, on a Lord's day immediately after the morning
exercise (though he was desired by the pastor to forbear, and not profane the
sabbath day by open disturbance and so forbad him to proceed) to desire the
church to stay ; and when Mr. Parker told him he had broken the agreement,
Mr. Woodman replied to him, I speak not to you, but to the church, for I have
divers complaints against you. and when Mr. Parker was gone, to tell them that
he had several complaints against Mr. Parker, and desired them to appoint a
church meeting to hear them (though Mr. Parker immediately before had warned
a church meeting) many of them consented to it, and so upward of thirty voted it.
1 Third, whether it be not a like breach of the public order and peace of the
churches for the said persons solemnly to cause the bell to be rung and repair
unto, and observe, such an irregular meeting, to term themselves the church
(though not the major part of the church) and in the name of the church to send
for the pastor to answer the charges laid against him by Mr. Woodman. And
here particularly Mr. Dummer, Archelaus Woodman and William Titcomb
were moderators, the rest witnesses and judges.
1 Fourth, whether it be not a like breach of the order and peace of the churches
when any of the members being publickly warned by the pastor and the per-
sons duly summoned, the said persons shall publickly contest against their pas-
tor, and will not agree so much as to have their charges read, unless their pastor
will first put it to vote whether it were the mind of the church that it should be
read, and whether after such debate taken, the said charges shall begin to be
read there is an uproar and hubbub raised that the church might not hear what
was read, and when they are read, they being particularly read and desired to
answer, they shall directly refuse to do, yet guilty of such things are Mr. Wood-
man, Archelaus Woodman, William Titcomb, William Pilsbury.
• Fifth, whether Mr. Richard Dummer, and Richard Thorla signing a paper
in behalf of the church, which contained (in their apprehension) an act for the
suspension of the pastor from his office, and thereby what in them, is, depriving
the whole church of the ordinances of Christ, which he hath given to his church,
and this without the advice and direction of any other church, are not guilty as
leaders in the disturbance of the church but also of falsehood, when it is not
the church, nor the major part of the church acting in any lawful meeting, that
gives them authority so to do, and whether Archelaus Woodman, William Tit-
comb, Richard Bartlet and Samuel Plumer in bringing and delivering it, be not
alike guilty of promoting the disturbance of the church.
1 Sixth, whether it be not a disturbance of the publick peace and order in an
organic church for private members contrary to the mind and privity of their
pastor and brethren, to elect ruling elders, imposing them on the pastor and
brethren without their consent, Mr. Woodman one of them being known to be
scandalous in his conversation, and this not by the major part of the brethren
either, yet this, William Titcomb, Richard Bartlet, Stephen Greenleaf, and Ca-
leb Moody brought as a message to Mr. Parker from them, whom they called
the church, and they are able to give an account who they were that set them
to work.
1 Seventh, lastly whether in these things (to omit many others that may be
mentioned) Mr. Woodman and those who adhere to him, be not guilty as much
92 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
as in them lies, of erecting a new form of government in the church with a
great deal of strife and contention, contrary to the platform of discipline allowed
by the general court and the received practice of all the congregational churches
in this country, and whether this be not to trie breach of the peace both civil
and ecclesiastical (n. 11.) Civil authority here established hath power and
liberty to see the peace, ordinances and rules of Christ to be observed in every
church according to his word ; and our honored magistrates in their letters direct-
ed to us, do account themselves bound by all due means to countenance and
protect the observers of the congregational government. We present then these
things to your wisdoms. At our request you would be pleased to encourage
those who desire to be faithful to God and lovers of truth and peace.
Presented by us, RICHARD KENT.
DANIEL PIERCE, senior.'
To the preceding communication the following reply was made.
'To the honored court at Ipswich April eighteenth, 1671.
' Concerning the seven queries put to the consideration of this court, they do
involve so many within them that they are from us uncapable of an answer,
neither do we know what use the court will make of them against us, seeing
they come in as queries and not as charges. We ourselves could trouble the
court with many queries, but at this time we shall forbear. In brief we would
humbly desire you to consider that most if not all, the particulars mentioned, are
such, as will prove good or evil, as we shall appear to be a church regularly
acting or not, for if we be a church of Christ according to order then it is lawful
for a brother to complain to the church against any brother that doth offend.
Then secondly it is lawful for the church to hear and judge. Thirdly, then it
is lawful for two brethren also to sign an act of the church as witnesses.
Fourth, then it is lawful for them to send messengers to Mr. Parker, or whom it
may concerne. Fifth, then it is lawful for them to meet as a church together.
Sixth, then it is lawful for them to elect a ruling elder or elders. But we hope
your honored court will convict us that we have broken some standing law or
laws, that were made by the general court before they blame us, for we do
not account ourselves well dealt withal by the authors of those queries and
declaration, whom we leave to the Lord.
i Lastly we do profess ourselves to be servants of God and faithful subjects
to the commonwealth, lovers of magistrates and ministers, and all the churches
and people of the Lord, and do not willingly err from any rule of God, nor of
the commonwealth, but we trust such, as shall be found faithful.
1 We do therefore desire this court to consider whether it be not against all
order, law or custom that complaint should be brought to a court against breth-
ren, which from conscience of the rule of Christ do complain to a church
against an offending brother, merely because they have complained, when the
church hath heard the complaint and acquit the complainer, by owning the
complaint to be duly proved, and sentenced the person complained against. So
leaving what have been said to your wisdoms to be considered, and yourselves
to the God of all wisdom to be directed, with our hearty prayers for you, we
rest in the Lord to be commanded,
WILLIAM TITCOMB,
CALEB MOODY.
SAMUEL PLUMER.
STEPHEN GRENLEFE,
BICHARD BARTLET.'
1 A declaration of the pastor, and several brethren of the church of Newbury
presented to this court at Ipswich.7
1 The manifold contentions, that have been among us for sundry years have
been matter of continual grief, and ought to be of continual humiliation, that
such things should arise among a people, whose beauty consists in their union
to Christ and unity one with another.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 93
1 To omit all former transactions (which we cannot reflect upon but with
grief) so high were the opposites that according to the direction of our honored
magistrates, who pitied our distractions, we were forced to desiring help of our
neighbouring elders, and churches, who at a council convened November third
1669, whom our brethren would by no means own, or subject unto as a council,
though there was as much reason to respect them and accept their advice as
most in the country.
'The council hereupon was forced to proceed according to the allegations and
proofs presented to them, whereby they found and judged the actings of our
brethren to be very irregular, contrary to the peace and unity, which ought to
be in the church, tending to confusion, and that which casts reproach on the
order of the congregational churches among us, and therefore were offensive, and
if they should proceed after such testimony of theirs ag-ainst their ways it would
be much more offensive, sufficiently evidencing to them that there was just
cause of complaint against them, as more fully may appear by their testimony
left in writing, which was publickly read the next Lord's day after their
departure.
•' The council having adjourned till the nineteenth of April following, we en-
deavoured in the mean time to see what composition we could bring our breth-
ren to, and accordingly by publick and private agitations we laboured to reduce
our brethren to a right and sober mind, that our contentions might cease, and
they might be brought to a right understanding of the congregational way as it
was commonly practised by the churches according to the direction of the
council, which, if our brethren had consented to, there might have been hopes
to have proceeded peaceably, but instead of any composition with us there ap-
pears farther ground of distraction, as may be seen by their paper disorderly
published in the congregation, the copy whereof stands in record in the court.
' The council returning according to their adjournment found as little accept-
ance by our brethren as formerly, who though they made their appearance, yet
it was with such a spirit and carriage, as did ill befit them before such a rever-
end assembly, nor would they comply to do any thing till the council agreeing
to hear them* as friends and not as a council instead of answering the allegations
first or last objected against them (which in reason they ought to have done if
they could have cleared themselves) they brought in such exceptions as they
could against Mr. Parker their pastor, all which we fully heard and answered,
nor was there any thing (of twenty-five articles) of moment alleged or proved
against Mr. Parker, their pastor, who was sufficiently vindicated by the council,
but sufficient on this point to show what spirit tney were of.
1 On the last day of their setting, about sunset Mr. Woodman with several
others with him came into the council, speaking to this purpose (Mr. W. affirm-
ing that he was appointed to speak in the name of the brethren, and called for
witness to attest it) that now they were convinced by the word of God that they
had acted irregularly and came there to acknowledge their offences, which
accordingly they did to the great satisfaction of the hearers, sundry of them,
speaking to the same purpose that they had done ill. The council seeing such
a compliance which in all the former part they saw so little ground to expect,
readily embraced the appearance of such a temper, and more willing to bring
things to a full agreement, they left off what they intended as a council and
fell upon the consideration of some articles of accommodation whereby both
parties for the future might act peaceably, which articles were agreed unto by
Mr. Woodman and many of his party there present who also promised their
endeavours to bring the rest to a compliance with them.
1 Mr. Woodman notwithstanding such an appearance of a cordial agreement,
yet refuses the communion of the church from that day, and within a little
while finds occasion to make as much disturbance as ever. We could scarcely
have any publick occasions (as for discipline of members and so forth) but there
was some publick opposition from some or another, and nothing could be
managed with peace, though (as we suppose) there was never any just cause
of disturbance.
' Sundry private agitations there were, wherein propositions were made by them
lending to a farther ground of difference than any settlement. Some things [were
94 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
so stated] that Mr. Parker professed he could not in conscience agree to them,
yet Mr. Woodman threatened him that he would bring him before authority,
before the highest judicature of the country, and again revive the twenty-five
articles, which were brought before the council, which they had the hearing of
and acquitted Mr. Parker.
' After many debates, and little likelihood and appearance of agreement,
there still continuing great murmurings and private surmises cast up and down
to Mr. Parker's prejudice through false suggestions, Mr. Parker to testify what
things he might, warns a publick church meeting, which convened December
eighth, when by reason of the tumultuous carriage of things there was little
likelihood of bringing any thing to a fair issue. Omitting many unworthy and
disorderly carriages exceeding unsuitable to the solemnity that "ought to be in
God's presence, towards the end of the meeting Mr. Woodman was charged by
one of the brethren for publick offences, one in almost totally absenting himself
from the publick worship on the Lord's days, though it was known sufficiently that
he was able enough to attend on other occasions, therefore abstaining from the
communion of the church. He instead of answering for these offences pub-
lickly professed he is offended with Mr. Parker for some miscarriages, and
desires the church to appoint a meeting to hear him. Mr. Parker bids him.
produce his charges, and he was ready there to answer them before the church^
but this Mr. Woodman refused to do.
1 Not long after he" comes accompanied with two brethren, and tells Mr.
Parker he comes with two others to deal with him according to the rule in order
to bring him to the church, if he refused to hear him.
1 Mr. Parker replied to him that his accusations being only such points
wherein they differed in their opinions it was not reasonable to think they were
meet judges, or that he was likely to satisfy them. But if Mr. Woodman would
choose three or four elders, whom he would, of the neighbouring churches, he
was ready to answer before them whatsoever they could allege against him, and
besides that himself standing charged with several scandals, he was not a meet
person to come to deal with him in such a manner till he had answered for his
own offences. Mr. Woodman professed he would never call in the help of any
elders as long as he lived, but if Mr. Parker refused to hear him he would bring
it to the church in order to depose him, and then they would desire the advice
of other churches what they were to do in point of farther censure, and this was
the issue of that meeting.
1 Shortly after (under the notion of a fast, though no such things were
observed) most of the opposite 'brethren convened, but (as we are informed)
the substance of their agitation was how to prosecute their design against Mr.
Parker, which was ordered to be done the next sabbath day, which Mr. Wood-
man accordingly though irregularly set on foot. There they (though not the
major part by several persons) voted a church meeting though Mr. Parker just
before warned a meeting for the whole church. Mr. Parker warned his at one
of the clock in the afternoon, they anticipated him by designing theirs at eight
o'clock in the morning of the same day. Mr. Parker desiring to prevent their
irregular motions, on^ the lecture day being Wednesday (the meeting being
warned to be on the Monday following) publickly appoints another meeting two
days after namely, the Friday before the meeting formerly warned, and withal
order was taken that four of the brethren should have notice that they were then
to appear to answer what should be alleged against them for the irregularities
of the last sabbath and other things. The persons were Mr. Woodman,
Archelaus Woodman William Titcomb and William Pilsbury. The church
appeared at the time, and the persons warned, but instead of answering, they
fell to contradicting their pastor, endeavouring what they could that their
charges, which were in writing, might not be read or heard. But when the
resolution was they should be'read. instead of hearkening to them, whereby
they might understand what they were charged with, that they might give
satisfaction they raised an hubbub, knocking, stamping, hemming, gaping, to
drown the reading. Afterwards being demanded whether they would answer
to their charges, they all of them (uncivilly enough) refused so to do. Mr.
Parker finding little good to be done; but much dishonor to God, dissolved the
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 95
meeting, and seeing all our endeavours were in vain, on the sabbath day follow-
ing dissolved the meeting formerly warned also. Yet our brethren kept their
motion, and though they fell short of the major part, yet in the name of the
church they sent to Mr. Parker, desiring him to come to answer to the church,
what Mr. Woodman had against him. Mr. Parker, testifying, their irregularities
refuses to attend them. They in the meeting house having chosen their mod-
erator and so forth, sit formally as a church. Here Mr. Woodman's complaints
to the number of fifteen or sixteen he exhibits and reads against Mr. Parker and
also twenty-five more, which formerly he had presented to the council, who
found little cause to blame Mr. Parker, but saw sufficiently what temper they
were of, to rake up what they could for thirty years, yet had not any thing of
value to fasten on him. Some of the brethren there present undertook (though
not by Mr. Parker's motion) if they might have liberty presently to answer them.
A fair promise they had that they should have liberty, but could get no perform-
ance of it either at that or the next meeting.
' The first meeting then adjourned to a second, the second to a third and the
third to a fourth. Mr. Parker and others frequently desired them that they
would agree to call a lawful and regular council to help settle our distractions,
but they resolving to go on in their own way refused all such motions. It is
impossible to mention all particulars, nor is it to be thought how many dis-
courses have been to bring them to a right understanding, and it hath been past
our skill by any thing we could do (without injuring truth and conscience) to
find any way to reclaim them. We have borne their contradictions with
patience. Frequently, as we had opportunity we debated with them. The
platform of discipline,' which they agreed should be their rule, proves nothing
to them, unless they may be the judges and interpreters of it. We supposed
(unless they deluded the council) that they had ingenuously acknowledged
their irregularities, yet are more deeply fallen into them than before. The
testimony of a council of nine churches (which we called and maintained at
our own charge, and which they contributed nothing to, but contempt and con-
tradiction to linger out the time) is despised by them and counted as an empty
paper. The received and approved practice of all the churches in the country
is not regarded by them. So that we are at a stand and could not imagine what
farther course to take, [with them] who will be content with nothing but their
own will, to the subduing of all to their humours and the ruin of the church.
• In the issue it comes to this, that their designs bring forth a monstrous birth.
The members cut off the head. Without the advice of any church or churches,
without any shew of any just ground and reason (but what their own enraged
fancies and violent passions suggest) they take upon them, (and this by a lesser
part of the church present, and some of them dissenting, the brethren that were
not of their persuasion, were desired to withdraw,) to depose the pastor, to choose
two ruling elders, imperiously enough imposing them on their pastor and
brethren, were as fit to be respected as others. Whereupon at last for our own
defence, for upholding the ordinances of God among us. when we find they
despise councils, will not subject themselves to church dealing, or by combina-
tion will prevent it, and would rob us of our sacred enjoyments, prostituting all
to their confusions, being enforced to it, we saw no remedy but according to the
rule of the scripture to withdraw from them that cause divisions, and walk
inordinately, as is more fully expressed in our paper, and publickly communi-
cated to them when they were assembled together March twenty-third, 1671.'
The above was written by JOHN WOODBRIDGE.
The next paper, is an answer to the foregoing, and is entitled a
* defence of the persons accused/
< To the honored court now sitting at Ipswich we humbly present these lines
in way of apology to declare the grounds of our late actings as a church to be
regular, both by our ecclesiastical liberties, secondly by our late covenant and
thirdly correspondent to scripture rule and example.
96 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
'April eighteenth, 1671.
1 First, that a church hath liberty to proceed against an elder, or elders, not
only to an act of suspension, but also to expulsion upon due cause. It is with-
out controversy and clear as in law book page twenty-five, section five, every
church hath also free liberty of admission, recommendation, dismission, ex-
pulsion or deposal, of their officers and members upon due cause with free ex-
ercise of the discipline and censures of Christ according to the rules of the
word. Second, by our late covenant contained under five articles.
1 The first is that the platform of discipline shall be a rule for practice in the
church of Newbury in all our administrations, which saith that it is a preroga-
tive that Christ hath given to the brotherhood. Chapter ten, sections five, six,
seven. Chapter five, section two. Chapter eight, section seven.
' Second, where it is said chapter tenth, other churches directing thereunto
where they may be had, we answer first, that advice is not laid down in the
platform as of necessity to be a rule, but where as they may be had. Second,
it relates not to the suspension of elders, but to the deposal of them. Third, we
have earnestly called upon two churches to have their advice, but one of them
refused to come, the other that did come refused to give their advice to the case
we had in hand. Fourth, we then sent three questions to the church of Salis-
bury, for their resolution, but they gave us no answer. Then we were forced to
take liberty as God hath given us to proceed ourselves as the rule of the word
doth lead us. Matthew 18: 17. Colossians 4: 17. Romans 16: 17. Platform
chapter ten, sections five, six, seven. Chapter five, section two. Chapter eight,
section seven. Law book page twenty-five, section five.
1 Third, where a church hath liberty not only to the suspending, but also to
the expulsion and deposal, of their officers upon due cause, as is proved before,
for the lesser is included in the greater, then also to appoint a church meeting
to examine whether be due cause, although the elder offending doth not consent
thereunto, for we humbly conceive that no offender is to be active in his own
censure, but passive under which he is subject. The contrary seemeth to us to
be contrary to law and reason.
1 Fourth, the church according to rule may deal with an officer, as is proved
already, then a brother that is offended with an officer may deal with him ac-
cording to rule as Matthew 16: 17. Platform chapter ten, section five, six,
seven, chapter eight, section seven, where it is said to be a power and preroga-
tive given to a brother to deal with any brother, with whom he is offended, and
in case he hear him not, to tell it to the church. '
1 Fifth, if it be the duty of a brother offended after private means used, and he
is not satisfied, to tell it to the church, then it is the duty of the church to hear
that brother's complaint, and get their judgment upon it in obedience to the
rule of Christ Matthew 18:17. 1 Corinthians, verse 4.
1 Sixth, if this brother offended in a lawful publick meeting upon the Lord's
day, doth speak to the whole church to stay and hear him a few words of com-
plaint against a brother, with whom he is offended, and some wilfully go away
and do not their duty, but by neglect thereof lose the power and privilege of
judgment in what was presented to the church, their refusing their duty is not
an obstruction to the major part of the church, that doth stay to do their duty, as
they are obliged by the rule Matthew 18 : 17.
' Seventh, Mr. Parker, Mr. Woodbridge and the brethren with him which are
forty-five have made a solemn written explicit covenant by the advice of the
messengers of nine churches, who as witnesses have subscribed it by the mod-
erator and scribe, that those articles then agreed on should be the rule for prac-
tice in the church of Newbury in all their administrations. The which cove-
nant Mr. Parker did refuse to put to the vote of the church, giving the reason
that then his party would be engaged to practice it, although himself had cove-
nanted that it should be the rule for practice in the church in all our adminis-
trations.
' Eighth, we do conceive that those brethren that consent not unto the cove-
nant made by the pastor and the major part of the brethren, are not in a capac-
ity to act in matters of discipline, in which we shall refer ourselves to the
advice of better understanding, the reason of our referring is because our church
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 97
covenant is lost or burned, and the contents not known, and so under no church,
covenant until the last covenant made whereby as a congregational church we
have no power one over another, but by virtue of this lately made, as is evident
by our rule agreed upon, chapter 4. section 1, 3, platform.
' • Ninth, it hath been the custom of this church from the beginning not to
take notice of the number of brethren, that come to church meeting, but in case
the meeting is lawfully warned, if but half the church come together, to carry
and end all things by the major part of them that did come, be they few or
many, and as far as we know this is the practice of all churches, but notwith-
standing we have acted by a major part of the brethren.
' Tenth, we would put it to your serious considerations, whether if none but
the brethren, that are in covenant with Mr. Parker, have been desired to stay,
seeing the rest own not the covenant by any publick manifestation, our meeting
had not been an authentic church meeting, and what we had acted by the major
part of them be authentic, yet the whole church was desired to stay without
any distinction, therefore no appearance of exception on that account
' Eleventh, we conceive that every church have an ecclesiastical judiciary
amongst themselves to judge of, and give sentence upon, any offences, or upon
any persons that are of their combination or society, allowed to every particular
church by Christ, Matthew 18, 17, confirmed by our laws, page 25, section 5,
by ah agreement or covenant as in platform, chapter 10, sections 5. 6, 7. This
jurisdiction or judicatory being distinct from the civil power, except we break
their laws, or go contrary to the law of God in fundamentals of faith and
discipline.
' Twelfth, lastly we would humbly desire you to consider that the major part
have the concluding power in all the government and orders of this common-
wealth, in our highest court, in the court of assistants, in the county courts, in
commissioners' courts, among freemen in their meetings, by towns in their
meetings, by military commissioners in their societies, so in choice of all offi-
cers from the governor to the constable and way wardens. Also in synods, in
councils, in all churches in New England that we know, and how it is come to
pass that the poor church of Newbury among the thousands in New England
should be opposed in their lawful liberties we cannot but a little wonder. And
that it should be commended to this court's consideration whether we are not a
people that go about to set up a new government, because we act or allow the
act of the major part of the church to be authentic, to us seemeth to be an
objection new coined by such as might as well say a church hath no power or
privilege whether they be major, or minor, or the whole. •
WILLIAM TITCOJIB.
CALEB MOODY.
SAMUEL PLUMER.
STEPHEN GRENLEFE.
RrcwARD BARTLET.'
In addition to the preceding extracts, there is on file a large num-
ber of testimonies, taken before the court in proof of the statements
made by the friends of Mr. Parker, in their complaint to the court
against Mr. Woodman and his friends. A few of these are here
given as a specimen.
TESTIMONY or ABIEL SOMERBY. 'December 19, 1670. In the school house
Mr. Woodman expressing himself highly, Mr. Parker said, soft, sir, your ways
are ungodly, you neglect publick worship and withdraw from the communion of
the church. Mr. Woodman said Mr. P.'s ways were ungodly. After further
discourse Mr. Woodman began to call for witness of what Mr." Parker said. I
said, Mr. Woodman, you said Mr P.'s ways were ungodly, and therefore it is
but quid pro quo. Who is that that saith so, Biel ? I answered, you, sir. He
broke forth with a strange expression, the Lord help us, or the Lord have mercy
on us. A man had need to have a care what he speaks before such men.
Sworn to March twenty-eighth. 1671.
13
98 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1 1 Abiel Somerby was present when my father in law Richard Knight asked
Mr. Woodman for the church book. Mr. Woodman said that he would not let
it go till the church sends for it. My father Knight said that Mr. Parker and
the church had voted that he should come to fetch it. Mr. Woodman answered
I do utterly disown such a church. My father Knight said, is this your answer ?
Mr. Woodman said yes, that is my answer, only I think you do very sinfully to
hold with such a church. Sworn to April eighteenth, 1671.
1 Henry Jaques affirmeth that on January twenty-ninth, 1671 when Mr. Wood-
man desired the church to stay, that he stayed, but it was not to joyne with
them, and speaking to Mr. Woodman he said he thought it unreasonable that
Mr. Woodman should desire a church meeting to deal with Mr. Parker, when
there was more need for him to be dealt withal for his offences. He also affirm-
eth that he heard Mr. Woodman publickly affirm that Mr. Parker had broken
three covenants already, and that no covenant would stand before him.
Sworn to, April eighteenth, 1671.
1 Deposition of Tristram Coffin and John Knight.
I On the sixth of February in a publick meeting in the meeting house Mr.
Woodman affirmed that when he went to deal with Mr. Parker according to
rule and two brethren with him, that Mr. Parker refused to hear him, and told
him his ways were ungodly. Tristram Coffin said, sir, you delude the people
for those words were spoken the nineteenth of December on another account
and it was that day fortnight that Mr. Woodman with others went to deal with
Mr. Parker. Sworn March twenty-eighth 1671.'
As Mr. Woodman's party claimed to be THE church, and to have
a majority of the members, it was deemed of consequence on one
side to establish that claim, and on the other to prove the contrary.
* There are,' says Mr. John Woodbridge, ( according to just computation,
reckoned as members of our church, if Mr. Dummer be left out, seventy-nine,
if he be reckoned, eighty. Our brethren of the number of eighty lay claim to
forty-one to be with them, if Mr. Dummer be reckoned into them.
Steven Swett, one of their number is a professed anabaptist and hath refused
communion with this church several years. Thirty-four only voted with them,
.which is far from the major part of the church. This being the foundation of
all their meetings and actings as a church, if the foundation be tottering, all
their meetings being continued by adjournment from one to another, the errors
of the foundation must needs convey irregularity to all subsequent motions.7
'John Knight and Tristram Coffin testify that it was a minor part of the
church that voted (to sit) for appointing a meeting to hear Mr. Woodman's
complaint against Mr. Parker, for thirty-nine have not joyned with them, besides
three of forty-one, that Mr. Woodman lays claim to were not present, namely,
Mr. Dummer, John Merrill, John Wells, and Mr. Woodman is the complainer,
and there remains but thirty-seven. Benjamin Rolf and William Moody did
not vote, and Steven Swett ought not to vote, because he is an anabaptist and
hath not had communion with this church, and so only thirty-four voted.
I 1 Joseph Hills aged sixty-nine do hereby testify that on the day of the church
meeting appointed on motion of Mr. Woodman, I being in conference with Mr.
W. about forbearing all proceeding till it might be cleared up by help of counsel
or conference, whether the power of church discipline was in the majority or
elsewhere, Mr. Woodman said that Mr. Parker had broken covenant with the
church sundry times and it would be to no purpose to make an agreement with
Mr. Parker. Sworn April eighteenth 1671.
1 The deposition of Robert Pike aged fifty-three or thereabouts, being desired
to give my testimony concerning Mr. Richard Dummer about his being a
member of Newbury church, this is that I do testify, that at a meeting many
years ago; as I remember upon a sabbath day, there was some thing propounded
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 99
concerning Mr. Dummer's transmission from the church at Roxbury to the
church in Newbury, which seemed to good acceptance with the church,
but whether it was by dismission or recommendation I understand not.
ROBERT PIKE.'
' The meeting was in the open ayr under a tree.'
After hearing all the testimony in the case the court came to the
following decision, namely :
1 Complaint being made unto this court against Mr. Woodman. Mr. Dummer,
William Titcomb and a party adhering to them as doth appear in three papers
presented by Daniel Pierce and Richard Kent, the said Woodman and divers
others complained of, were summoned at the sessions of this court in March
last, where the several complaints and charges were read to the said parties
then appearing, and their answers required thereunto, when the said Mr. Wood-
man among other things alleging that their accusations were many and heavy,
and that they had many matters to charge upon Mr. Parker and those adhering
to him, which they had neither time nor opportunity on the sudden to prepare,
the court not willing to surprize them and desiring fully to understand the
whole state of a case so extraordinary and of so high a nature, adjourned to the
eighteenth of April, allowing them copies of the charges exhibited against
them, and advising them to prepare their objections against Mr. Parker and
those with him, and to acquaint him with the same that they also might be in
readiness to make their defence at the adjournment, and the court might then
clearly understand upon hearing the whole case and according to the merit
thereof give j udgment. The court meeting at the day aforesaid, after a full
hearing it did appear that Mr. Woodman, Mr. Dummer, William Titcomb and
others adhering to them (not appearing to be the major part of the church at
Newbury, although the major part of such as met together) have proceeded to
admonish their pastor, Mr. Parker, and to suspend him from the exercise of his
office, as appeareth by their act sent unto him the said Mr Parker as signed by
Mr. Dummer and Richard Thorlay.
< Second, that the said Mr. Woodman and party as above said did proceed to
elect two ruling elders, namely Mr. Woodman himself and Mr. Dummer, ap-
pointing a day for their ordination. Third, that this answer was passed against
their pastor upon the complaint and solicitation of Mr. Woodman, and that the
said Woodman had openly published several falsehoods to animate his party
(which lay under some discouragement by the judgment of a council declared
against such irregular acting) and to exasperate them against Mr. Parker, who
before and at that time of meeting, wherein they suspended him, to prevent so
great an evil and scandal, did advise them as became his place, and offered and
intreated them to joyne with him to call a council to hear their differences,
engaging himself to be concluded thereby, which was not attended by said
Woodman and parties, but they proceeded to act as abovesaid, for the defence
of which high and irregular practices unheard of in this country, exceedingly
scandalous and reproachful to the way of the churches here established,
destructive to the peace and order of the gospel, threatening the ruin and deso-
lation of all order. They have alleged nothing but that they were the major
part of the church, not charging, much less proving, any offence given by their
reverend pastor, Mr. Parker, who for any thing, that doth appear is altogether
innocent, though so exceedingly scandalized, reproached and wronged by Mr.
Woodman his party. All which clearly and undeniably appearing by the
papers, pleas and evidences that are on file, the court as in duty bound being
sensible of the dishonor to the name of God, to religion here established and
also the disturbance of the peace, the scandalizing of a venerable, loving and
pious pastor and an aged father can not but judge the said Woodman, Mr.
Dummer, and William Titcomb, the parties joyning with them, guilty of very
great misdemeanors, though in different degrees, deserving severe punishment,
yet beins willing to exercise as much lenity as the case is capable of, or may
stand with a meet testimony against such an offence, which we are bound in
100 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
duty to God and our consciences to bear testimony against, do hereby adjudge
the said Mr. Woodman and party adhering to him to pay the several fines under
written with the charge of the witnesses and fees of court, and that they all
stand committed till the said fines, charges and fees be satisfied and paid.'
The sentence of the court was passed May twenty-ninth, 1671.
The following is a complete list of Mr. Woodman's party, with
the amount of the fines affixed to their names.
1 Mr. Edward Woodman, twenty nobles.^ Mr. Richard Dummer, Richard
Thorlay, Stephen Greenleaf, Richard Bartlet and William Titcomb four nobles
each. Francis Plumer, John Emery senior, John Emery junior, John Merrill
and Thomas Browne a mark each.f Nicholas Batt, Anthony Morse senior,
Abraham Toppan, William Sawyer, Edward Woodman junior, William Pils-
bmy, Caleb Moody, John Poor senior, John Poor junior, John Webster, John
Bartlet senior, John Bartlet junior, Joseph Plumer, Edward Richardson, Thom-
as Hale junior, Edmund Moores, Benjamin Lowle, Job Pilsbury, John Wells,
William Ilsley, James Ordway, Francis Thorla, Abraham Merrill, John Bailey7
Benjamin Rolf, Steven Swett, and Samuel Plumer, a noble each.' Robert
Coker and William Moody were not fined. The whole number is forty-one.'
The following are the names of Mr. Parker's party.
Mr. JOHN WOODBRTDGE. Captain WILLIAM GERKISH.
Captain PAUL WHITE. Mr. PERCIVAL LOWLE.
Mr. HENRY SEWALL. JAMES KENT.
RICHARD KENT. ROBERT LONG.
JOHN KENT. RICHARD PETTINGELL.
HENRY SHORT. WILLIAM MORSE.
DANIEL PIERCE, senior. JONATHAN MORSE.
RICHARD KNIGHT. JOHN DAVIS.
ANTHONY SHORT. JOHN SMITH.
RICHARD KNIGHT. JAMES SMITH.
JOHN KELLY. JAMES JACKMAN.
JOHN KNIGHT. JOSEPH MUZZEY.
HENRY JAQUES. RICHARD DOLE.
THOMAS HALE, senior. ANTHONY SOMERBY.
ROBERT ADAMS. NATHANIEL CLARKE.
ABEL HUSE. TRISTRAM COFFIN.
GEORGE LITTLE. NICHOLAS NOYES, senior.
SAMUEL MOODY. THOMAS TURVILL.
WILLIAM CHANDLER. NICHOLAS WALLINGTON.
Mr. NICHOLAS NOYES. Mr. JOHN GERRISH.
NICHOLAS WALLINGTON. Whole number 41 .
%The foregoing completes the transcript from the county court
records of all that is deemed necessary to a right understanding of the
case, which is in some respects peculiar, and must be deeply interest-
ing, not only to the descendants of those engaged in such a contest,
but to all who wish to ascertain the feelings, the views, opinions, and
principles, of the early settlers of New England, respecting that
vital question in church and state : in whose hands is the power of
government rightly lodged ? Ought or ought not the majority to
govern ? On this question, which agitated the church in Newbury
for more than a quarter of a century, I make no comments, and
* A noble is six shillings and eight-pence,
t A mark is thirteen shillings and fourpence.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 101
offer no opinion. The facts are before the reader. He must draw
his own conclusions. Should he, however, suppose, that the action
of the county court was a final settlement of the whole affair, and
that peace and quietness was once more re-established in the church
and among the people of Newbury, he will find his supposition
erroneous, as the following extracts from the general court records
will show.
1 May 31, 1671. The present distressed and labouring state of the church of
Christ at Newbury being represented to this court, whereof they are deeply
sensible, this court doth judge it expedient that some help be sent unto the said
church in a way of communion of churches, and therefore do order and appoint
that the secretary doe in the name of this court write unto these several churches
of Charlestown, the first church of Boston, the church of Dedham, the church
of Roxbury, desiring them to send their elders and messengers to the church of
Newbury, that they may enquire into their state and offer them their best advice,
according to the word of God, for their composure and healing and to make a
return of what they shall judge and doe in this matter, unto this court or the
council of this commonwealth, and that the secretary doe signify this order unto
the reverend Mr. Thomas Parker to be communicated unto both parties there at
variance in that church of Newbury ; and that Mr. William Stoughton be
desired to join with the secretary in writing their letters.7
On June twenty-third, 1671, Mr. William Stoughton addressed
the following letter to the reverend Thomas Parker.
1 The present state of your church being so uncomfortable and so publickly
known, it hath occasioned many and sad thoughts of heart in all that tenderly
love the name and interest of the Lord Jesus Christ and seek the good and
welfare of these churches with their whole hearts. A solemn grief it is that
after such pains and labour heretofore taken by the reverend elders and messen-
gers of several churches that were with you and some hopes of a good success
thereof, yet matters in conclusion should come to no better an issue than what
of late hath fallen out amongst you. What in this case is incumbent on
authority to doe that your divisions may be healed and the scandal of them
removed halh been (though under some straits of time) a serious disquisition
amongst us. You may please therefore to understand that we have written unto
these four churches, namely, of Boston, Charlestown, Roxbury and Dedham,
exhorting and desiring them (according to the known and approved practice of
communion of churches amongst us) joyntly to send their elders and otter meet
messengers unto you that they may in such a way of God take knowledge of
your present case, and being fully informed give you their best advice an coun-
sel therein as the rules and appointments of our Lord Jesus Christ in his word
shall direct. And what these reverend elders and messengers shall find and doe
in this your weighty concern they are requested to make a return thereof either to
the next general court, that shall be held or to the council of this commonwealth.
The messengers of the churches when chosen will give you seasonable notice
of the time, which they shall have agreed on, of coming to you.
1 And, that there may be that readynesse and preparednesse in you all to
receive their coming upon so solemn an errand, as you ought in the Lord, we
desire and expect that what we now write unto you may beT communicated and
read unto your whole church, if it may be assembled together, or at least unto
both the parties at variance therein severally. Now. reverend sir and dear
brethren we expect and warn you all, and with all earnestness call on you that
you would thoroughly and solemnly as in the sight of God reflect upon your
doleful and deplorable condition, considering both whence such distractions and
disorders spring, and whereunto they tend, none being gainers by them but
Satan and his instruments, whilst in the mean time your own souls, and the glory
102 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
of God and the common interest of these churches are great losers. We beseech
you, every one, to be jealous of and judge himself, to humble yourselves
greatly before the Lord, to beg that pardon of God and reconciliation with him,
without which there can never be any healing among yourselves. That this you
may do and that there may be a sovereign and plentiful effusion of grace, love,
peace, and a sound mind whereby you may be in every respect framed unto a
thankful entertainment of unfeigned submission to such counsels of peace and
healing, as may be in the way prososed given in and pressed upon you, is the
cordial sincere desire of
WILLIAM STOUGHTON.'
On the second of July, the first church in Boston chose deputy
governor John Leverett and five other messengers, l to go to the
church a.t Newbury, to hear the differences that be there to be a
means of healing, if God please.'^
The council assembled at Newbury according to the direction of
the general court, but at what precise time we are not informed.
The result of their labors was presented to the court, who made a
report thereon at the May session, 1672, as the reader will see in its
proper place.
From the records of the first church in Rowley, the following
letters are extracted.
' Newbury, sixteenth of February, 1671.
1 To the church of Christ in Rowley both elder and brethren, grace and peace
be with you.
t Reverend and beloved in the Lord,
1 It is the portion that the God of all wisdom hath allotted
this poor church, to pass over the greatest part of her time in this wilderness
in great divisions and contentions which cannot but occasion much perturbation
of spirit among ourselves, and many thoughts of heart in our sister churches
round about us, that we above all others should thus unquietly pass the days of
our pilgrimage here, having no other time but the present moment that pass
over us, which may be called ours, and the voice of God still sounding in our
ears to day if ye will hear his voice then harden not your hearts. And we being
conscious that a state of division and contention in the church of Christ is an
inlet to much sin and evil occurrences, and that such customs are not to be
allowred in the church of Christ, and yet we are commanded to contend for the
faith once given to the saints whereby we doe confess that contentions against
truth and against rule are only forbidden by the Lord. We therefore considering
the aptness that is in men to think well of their own judgments and actions,
doe think it expedient, and that, which doth stand with the mind of Christ, and
to the rule, to which we have lately agreed, and must have recourse thereto in
things wherein we differ, to call upon neighbouring churches for help and advice.
We doe therefore earnestly desire that you will send us the messengers, such as
be most capable of giving us advice from scripture, or from rule thereunto
agreeing, for if it be the good pleasure of the Lord we would once have an end
tjf trouble and contention in his way and according to his will. We shall call
in for our help herein at this time only our next two neighbouring churches,
Salisbury and Rowley, thereby you may consider what number may be most
convenient to send. The time we desire your presence is the last day of Febru-
ary being Tuesday seven night after the date hereof at nine o'clock in the
morning. We would desire you to repair to the ordinary, where some of us
shall attend to receive you. Once more we do earnestly desire you in the bowels
of Christ Jesus not to fail our expectations for our condition itself doth unfortu-
nately call for help and advice, in a case, in which the glory of God and the
peace of this church is soe nearly concerned and the rule we are agreed upon
* Boston first church records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 103
doth direct us to your advice as yourselves are our witness ; not doubting but
by your advice through God's presence and blessing his name shall have glory
and ourselves a benefit. And that it might soe be we commend you to his
grace and direction, and rest in love yours to serve you in what we may.
By us signed, whose names are underwritten in the
name of the brethren of the church.
ARCHELAUS WOODMAN. WILLIAM TITCOMB.
STEVEN GRENLEFE. CALEB MOODY.
RICHARD BARTLET. SAMUEL PLUMER.'
ANSWER.
1 To Mr. Woodman and the rest of our beloved brethren with him at Newbu-
ry, members of the church of Christ there, grace and peace be with you.
1 Rowley, February 20*A, 1671.
* Beloved brethren,
1 Your letter, (wherein you desire of this church of Christ at Rowley
that we would send messengers to give advice tending to the healing of your
long and uncomfortable differences) hath been read before them the nineteenth
of this instant. Their answer is that though they are sensible of your uncom-
fortable condition as things now stand with you and are willing to send the best
help God hath given us, yet at present we judge it not seasonable because we
are informed by brother Titcomb your messenger to us and by others that you
did not by any publick act agree to desire your reverend pastor and the brethren
with him to joyne with you in calling a council. We conceive it most agreea-
ble to the rule the fourteenth of Romans seventeen that you desire his concur-
rence with you in calling a council, and we know noe instance wherein this
method has not been attended of such brethren fc********** as have at any
time called in council in any of these churches. If it be said he will not joyne
in calling a council we answer, it may be soe, yet your way is then the clearer
to call irThelp without him. Thus far the whole church.
{ Only several of this church do conceive that it were more suitable to your
affairs if your church call in some more help than what you mention in your
letter, three at least, if not four churches. A covenant breaker is very hardly
set, and 'if nine churches could hardly be instrumental of your peace, how you
think two should set you at rights we cannot easily imagine. But we hope if
you are willing to call in four or five churches Mr. Parker and the brethren
would concur with you therein, whereas if you only mention Salisbury and
Rowley to him, we doubt whether he will concur, for he cannot be ignorant
that there is not suitable help to be sure of at Rowley as there is in others that
you might call in help from. Besides consider that word the eleventh of Prov-
erbs fourteen in the multitude of counsellors there is safety. When are many
counsellors needful but in difficult cases, and if yours are not such we cannot
readily think of any that are. No more but our prayers to God for you that he
would grant you peace by all means. Soe pray your loving brethren,
SAMUEL PHILIPS,
MAXIMILIAN JEWETT.
In the name of the whole church at Rowley.'
1 Newbury, March 17, 1671.
1 The church of Christ which is at Rowley both elder and brethren grace and
peace be with you from the Lord Jesus Christ.
{ Reverend and dearly beloved in the Lord. After our long and troublesome
differences in the church, it is well known unto yourselves that in April the
twenty-second last by the help and advice of the assembly of the elders and
brethren of nine churches we made an agreement or covenant that the church of
Newbury should be governed by a rule then agreed upon in all the administrations
contained in five articles. Notwithstanding our troubles being still continued
and lengthened out without all hope of remedy in that estate the church stood
104 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
in having but one elder, and himself so contrary to the church with whom he
hath entered into the late covenant or agreement. Insomuch that we are with-
out all orderly proceedings in any church matters, no members admitted, noe
censure can pass on offenders, but our condition attended with many evil occur-
rences to the dishonor of God, to the reproach of congregational churches and
especially to this church as not being capable of healing our distempers. In
consideration whereof a brother of this congregation hath lately attempted to
deal with Mr. Parker as concerning the cause of all our troubles and contentions
have proceeded from himself but Mr. Parker refused to hear him saying that
none but elders had to doe with him, whereupon this brother made this com-
plaint to the whole church one Lord's day and desired the church to appoint a
time to hear him in his complaints, but Mr. Parker forbad the brother to com-
plain to the church and forbad the church to hear him ; notwithstanding the
church did stay and appointed a time to hear the complaint and have met and
heard it. • Then considering the weight of the cause in respect to the person
concerned in the complaint, agreed to call in two neighbouring churches for
advice, but there came to our help but the messengers from Salisbury only,
whose advice was that the choice of officers either teaching or ruling elders,
such as the church should most unanimously agree upon would most conduce
to our peace and quiet. Whereupon three or four of the brethren being sent to
Mr. Parker to desire his consent to this advice but he did deny it. The church
having adjourned their former meeting, when they heard the complaint, met
again at a time appointed and passed their judgment upon it, and being forced
thereunto to the great grief and trouble of our hearts and by an act laid Mr.
Parker under blame, suspending him from all official acts until he gave the
church satisfaction, only to preach as a gifted brother if he please, and having
soe done they elected two ruling elders Mr. Richard Dummer and Mr. Edward
Woodman, and have appointed Thursday next for their ordination. This is
therefore to request that you would be pleased to send your messengers to give
their approbation to the work intended, and what help you can to the furtherance
of the work. If your reverend pastor would be pleased to preach us a sermon
we shall be much obliged unto him. Thus we thought good to lay open to your
understanding the order of our proceedings, as not desiring to walk in the dark, or
any way to beguile your apprehensions. In case the Lord should stirr up your
hearts to send us your help in a work that soe much concerns the glory of God,
the peace of the church, we hope you shall have no cause to repent of your la-
bour, but to praise the God of peace with ourselves hoping that by such means
he will be pleased to create peace for us. Soe commending you to his gracious
direction in this and all your concernments we rest in him to serve you in what
we may. Signed by us, whose names are underwritten
In the name and by the consent of the church.
ARCHELAUS WOODMAN. WILLIAM TITCOMB.
STEPHEN GRENLEFE. RICHARD BARTLET.
SAMUEL PLUMER. CALEB MOODY.'
ANSWER.
'Rowley, March 20; 1671.
* Dearly beloved in the Lord Jesus,
' The lecture this week calls for my attendance so that I
cannot enlarge, but in brief you may by these understand that your letter hath
been read before the church, and their answer is that they judge not meet to
send any messengers to encourage or countenance you in what you have done
in reference to you reverend pastor, nor in what you are farther about to do in
respect to your ordination of elders, as being doubtful of such proceedings, yet
neither do they think meet by messengers or by writing to bear testimony
against your actings or absolutely to condemn them.
1 But for myself as one that you were pleased to direct your letters unto, I
must needs say that I conceive you are far out of God's way, and therefore doe
most earnestly beseech you to desist from such irregular proceedings and un-
heard of in any church in New England that I know of. The reasons why I
conceive your late transactions to be irregular are these.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 105
4 First, in that you have not called in counsell in an orderly way by desiring
your pastor and the brethren with him to joyne with you in calling in advice.
Now it seems to me irrational as well as unbrotherly, that brethren especially a
pastor should not have liberty as well as brethren (that bear offence against
him,) to chuse such as may hear the matter between them.
1 Second, in that he hath offered you to joyne with you in calling in advice,
you have not closed with his motion, nor been moved thereby to put any stop
to your actinirs,
1 Third, as to your deposing of your reverend pastor, from the exercise of
his pastoral office, you mention no advice from the messengers of Salisbury
church to encourage you therein, nor doe I believe any church in the colony
\vill stand by you in it You know what the judgment of the churches is as to
that case expressed in the platform. It must be for scandalous evils, not mat-
ters controversial And the whole brotherhood agreeing that called him to
office, and therefore not a mere major part, and with the advice of neighbouring
churches, the calling in of which you have neither referred to your pastor nor
accepted his offer of it to you. For my coming to preach with you on Thursday
next if I should soe doe I should think myself much better employed than *#»#:*
sometimes was when he was not well employed. I have not been unwilling, nor
shall be to serve you as God shall call and wtten he calls me thereto. In the mean
while I beseech the good Lord to direct your work in truth and insure that mer-
cy to you and me that David begs Psalms 19 : 13. Keep back thy servant, and
so forth. I rest your grieved brother
SAMUEL PHILLIPS.'
The two following letters were written by the reverend Samuel
Phillips of Rowley. They are also transcribed from the Rowley
church records and commence thus :
1 January 16th, 1672.
1 A reply to a letter sent to S. P. from ^r. John Woodbridge in justification of
their practice in coming to the Lord's table notwithstanding the sad divisions
among them.'
* Reverend and dear sir,
1 Though I have noe great list nor leisure for writings of this na-
ture your long epistle necessitating some reply I doe entreat your consideration
of these few lines in way of answer. You doe in yours inform me that the
brethren opposite to Mr. Parker doe encourage themselves by something that
they have heard from me, as if I profest against your practice in celebrating
the Lord's supper in such a time of division. I know not what reports you have
heard nor from whom, nor on what ground you receive them, notwithstanding I
deny not, but upon occasion I was of your last council's mind in this matter
(who advised a cessation at present till your spirits were healed and sweetened
with love one towards another) and have expressed noe less to Mr. Parker before
the council was sent. But if it be the way of Mr. Woodman and the rest with
him to take advantage by any hint (as you say) though never so frivolous, you
needed not to take such notice of the taking encouragement from such hints,
nor take so much pains to confute them.
1 Concerning the question as yourself have stated it, it is easily answered,
for yourself confess that if there were any thing chargeable in the reverend
pastor and brethren why they should abstain from the use of the sacrament,
that then you would acknowledge that the case were somewhat altered, if it
were soe. But that I conceive is the case, for the pastor and the brethren stand
charged by a council to have acted irregularly in several things. Three are in
my mind at present.
1 First, that Mr. Parker, contrary to the agreement in the former council, did
refuse to admit some into fellowship, because they were of different persuasions
from himself, whereas different persuasions on either side was to be noe lett to
admissions.
14
106 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1 Second, that the articles of agreement (of which the forementioned was one)
to which Mr. Parker consented and several principal brethren, yet that he should
refuse to publish them and to endeavour a consent to them, was an omission that
had sad consequences following amongst yourselves, not to speak how much
the former council's pains was made thereby ineffectual and God's name taken
in vain whilst solemn thanks were given to God in the churches that he had
blessed endeavours and inclined their hearts to such articles of agreement.
1 Third, that the pastor and brethren did pass a sentence against Mr. Wood-
man's party before calling them to repentance, or advising in soe weighty a
matter with other churches, and though you once expressed yourself that these
circumstantial omissions (tho' Mr. Parker did not grant so farre) I conceive that
they were, especially the former, a substantial omission of attendance to the
article that calls upon us to have patience with an heretic, and not reject him
presently without using means once and again to convince and reduce him, for it
becomes us much more to use means with our brethren to convince and reduce
them from the errors of their ways, James 5 : 20, and Timothy 2 : 24 and 25. In
a word I do conceive that if the council's determination when they left you, and
the reply to your objections be well considered, there will appear something
chargeable on the pastor and brethren, which ought to be acknowledged, (that
thereby the hearts of the brethren grieved and offended may be eased) before
you came in order to the Lord's table. And besides it may be feared that your-
selves not beginning in this work is the cause why the opposite party are not
more forward to attend their duty herein, which duty how much it is incumbent
on both, methinks those scriptures the fifth Matthew 23, 24 and James 5 : 16
doe evince. It is true God will have have his holy ordinances attended, which
you strongly plead, but you know that he will have them attended after the due
order, otherwise we may expect a breach rather than a blessing 1 Chronicles 5 :
12. God loves his worship and desires it much but he **## more upon peace
and union amongst his people than upon attendance upon him in this or that
part of substituted worship, which are means to further us in moral duties and
therefore tells us that he is willing to stay for his service till we be reconciled
one to another. If the gift must be left at the altar till personal reconciliation be
made, much more when the distance is between so many, not healed by per-
sonal acknowledgements. And as to this you should do as you would be done
by. You will not admit the brethren to that ordinance without confession of
their faults, and why should you goe to it without attendance to the duty you
call for from them, being there are failings with you as well as greater evils
with them. As for your pleading therefore not guilty, it is not unuseful to con-
sider what Mr. Burroughs speaks in his Irenicon. who tells us when our spirits
are hot with displeasure one against another, we are apt to be hardened
from seeing what is amiss in ourselves as it was with Jonah wrhen his spirit was
hot and angry he would hardly be convinced by God himself that he did or
spoke any thing amiss.
1 Concerning your judgment that no cessation in your case can be grounded
on 1 Corinthians, 11, I desire you would a little consider the eighteenth,
twentieth^ and thirty-third verses. He tells them that whilst there were divisions
and other evils amongst them, this was not to eat the Lord's supper, hence it
necessarily follows, that those things, which made it to be noe participation in
the Lord's supper, if not amended, ought to be reformed before they came,
otherwise why does God set the sword's point at their breast verses twenty-
seven and twenty-nine, yea [threaten] them not only with sickness but with death,
if they might still meet at that ordinance though those divisions and other evils
are not removed. He that says examine, prepare and soe come, does therein
say come not otherwise ; and church reformation, not only personal examination
is required in that chapter before they might partake of that ordinance, other-
wise they might expect to hear from God this is not to eat the Lord's supper
verse twentieth yea and might expect to feel more of his displeasure besides
what what they had felt. I need not tell you, sir, what God required of the
Jews as to searching out of leaven before they eat the passover. or what it sig-
nified. The apostle expounds the 1 Corinthians 9 purge out the old leaven
that you may keep the feast. The least sin is worse than a cartload of leaven.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 107
These forementioned failings the scriptures doe condemn as well as the council.
The Lord enable you to purge them out by repentance, that soe you may come
together to that ordinance of love, joy and prayse purely for the better and not
for the worse. Soe prays your unworthy brother,
SAMUEL PHILLIPS.'
lRvwky April 3d, 1672.
' Reverend and good sir,
t It was in my purpose, (as it seems it was in yours), not to have
troubled you nor myself with any more writing, and therefore having perused
your reply to my letter, though I got not satisfaction by it, yet I attempted noe
return, judging it meet that yourself should have the last word, but having
received another writing from you intimating that I have to great offence admit-
ted one of Newbury church, or more to the Lord's table with us, though under
scandal, and having given satisfaction, this does necessitate me to write once
more and upon this occasion I shall make a brief reply unto your former large
letter. The fifth of Matthew you wave as conceiving it touches not your case,
but condemns moral evils, covered with a cloak of devotion towards God, such
as open violence, devouring widows' houses and for a pretence making long
prayers, but the text saith, if thou rememberest that thy brother hath aught against
thee if it be a lesser fault, such as you mention, yet if it be a breach of rule
whereby I have offended my brother hi word or deed, I ought to acknowledge
my fault and be reconciled unto him. It is true as you say a man must remem-
ber that his brother hath something against him and if you yourselves can re-
member nought of that nature, who can help it but only God ? whereas you say
in your first writing and also in your second that all duties, (if God's worship
may), both publick and private must be omitted, I know noe such consequence
as that can rationally be gathered from any thing I have exprest. You say
that all God's ordinances are of the same nature and alike holy. Though that
be granted, yet I conceive a man may and ought to attend upon God in duties of
his worship daily in his family and weekly in hearing the word and so forth,
though in his sins, loving and allowing himself in them, as suppose a pott com-
panion, and one that has offended many by his ungodly words and ways, and
though it is his sin to come with the stumbling block of his inquity before his
face yet he may not abstain from the service of God in family and in publick,
but for him to come to the Lord's supper in such a condition were a high provo-
cation to God, very sinful in them that suffer it and very dangerous to his own
[soul.] The reason is because some duties of God's worship as reading, hear-
ing, prayer and so forth are means appointed for converting and working grace,
and therefore to be attended by such as are impenitent offenders, but the sacra-
ment is appointed for comforting the weak brethren, and for strengthening and
increasing of grace ; my meaning is not in the least to reflect in all this, but
to show the invalidity of such an assertion that if we must abstain from the
Lord's supper till we have acknowledged our faults, whereby we have offended
our brethren (especially all that are more publick) then by the same reason we
must abstain from all duties of God's worship both publick and private. Be-
sides family worship daily and publick worship weekly are stated as to time of
attending such duties, but the Lord's supper is not so" but we may come to it
seldomer or oftener as we are in capacity for such an ordinance. Old Mr. Shep-
ard administered it once in ten weeks and truly better not once in a year than
to come with any allowed leaven (publickly taken notice of) but not removed
by repentance. You farther add that the innocent are not be judged with the
guilty. I answer,
'• First, it is hard to conceive that in a church contending and divided there
will be many innocent, though some are usually farre more guilty than others.
1 Corinthians 1 1 : 30 we read not of many clear.
1 Secondly, if there be particular persons men and women innocent yet till the
church be in peace and offences healed in some measure, they are to submit to
the affliction to want the Lords supper. At Ipswich there was hot contentions
about Mr. Norton's leaving them, some sadly clasht with the reverend Mr. Rogers,
and one with another, and though there were divers good men and women that
108 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
never meddled in that business, but sat silent, yet the sacrament was not
administered. And was it not the duty (think you) of these innocent ones to
submit to it (though for a time they wanted that ordinance), the church not
being in a capacity to celebrate it till matters were composed.
1 As to the three particulars I mentioned I conceived you had and have cause
to blame yourselves herein. Time permits not to argue farther with you
about them, only a few words as to the third about your censure upon the
offending brother. I will not now discourse upon the nullity of that sentence
nor how farr ye saying clavis ##** non ligat is applicable to your act, yet two
things I formerly mentioned were omissions, which I still think cannot be justified.
1 First, the not calling upon them to see their sin in such an unheard of act,
you tell me you had often warned them to desist from their irregular proceed-
ings and actings, but not a word of any endeavour to bring them to the sense
of that sin, or those sins you censured them for, and therefore they could not
be looked upon as such as would not hear the church, when the church had
not admonished them, nor called upon them for repentance, and as only such
as refuse to hear the church are to be censured, or withdrawn from, by the church.
And forasmuch as you say what good success could have been expected, if you
had endeavoured to bring them to a sight of these evils ? I answer whether
they would hear or forbear, yet God's rule is to be attended and therefore your
third ingredient to right sentence is namely, to seek a law of God, that will allow
them you mention to withdraw from you. obstinate offenders to be censured. I
answer not to be withdrawn from till all due means be used for their conviction
and bringing them to repentance, neither could they be called obstinate
offenders when you had not endeavoured to bring them to a sight of their evils,
especially the scandalous one of deposing Mr. Parker.
1 It is true what you say it is easier to find faults than to mend them ; it is
also as true it is easier to make faults than to see them, as appears by your
calling this an omission of you know not what, and let what I have said
formerly and now as to this matter be accounted a private fancy, I am willing
to bear it having a council to bear it with me and what is more the rule will
stand by me to my best understanding.
' Second, touching the other omission of calling in council your own words
doe evince that it was an unjustifiable omission, in that you once and again
say (I think truly) that it was a case the like was never heard of, that you
know of in the Christian world, the more necessity of serious deliberation and
good advice, and you may be sure noe council in the country would have
advised you to pass any sentence against them or [them to] withdraw from you
till due means had been used by yourselves together with the body of other
churches, if need were to bring them .to repentance. By this you may perceive
that I am farre from that [opinion] that particular churches have absolute power
to carry all matters amongst themselves. If some of our church has lisped out
something that way, we own it not for a congregational principle, only they say,
I own that every particular church organic has power to carry on all affairs and
administration in God's house, excepting when they cannot proceed for want of
light in difficult cases, or for want of peace and accord.
'As for that passage you mention out of the platform that the power of
regular government is in the pastor and the brethren walking in communion,
they can't be thought to intend it of a divided and rent church as yours is.
Concerning your last writing as to the satisfaction the brethren generally
rendered. I judge as you do that it is farre from what the Lord and his people
do expect from them. As for the matter of blame you allege against me ####
###### as receiving to the sacrament one or more of your offending brethren
scandalous and impenitent, I answer that it is easy to conceive a grievous fault
and then to aggravate and lay a load of blame upon it. I am not of that
opinion as you intimate, nor has there been any such practice amongst us as
yet that we know of. The person that communicated with us was goodman
[Thomas] Hale junior. You say our practice therein is episcopal, I wish there
were nothing in Newbury that looks of a more episcopal countenance, but to
let that pass.
' First, the censure put upon him, namely, goodman Hale and the rest was
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 109
understood by the council to be null, I answer it was irregular though its true
the fault was great.
1 Second, he was one that Mr. Parker was willing to accept to the Lord's
supper with himself as being satisfied with his acknowledgement (wherein he
comes up fully to own his fault according to the sentence of the council in
terminis) provided he would come to the sacrament.
' Third, we have it attested by two witnesses that Mr. Parker told them (going
to him to acknowledge their faults according to the sentence of the council)
that let them go as far as they would in acknowledgement except they would
come and join with him at the Lord's table, it would not be taken for satisfaction.
1 Fourth, I propounded his desire of partaking to our church, that if any had
any thing to object. There was not one that manifested the least dissent.
' I asked the week before advice of Mr. Gobbet in reference to Mr. Dummer
and goodman Hale their desire of partaking with us that in case they came up
to full acknowledgement of their evil to Mr. Parker and the brethren that they
might be admitted, if Mr. Parker do not own that he have submitted to the
council's sentence (I mean goodman Hale) to take blame upon him, which they
lay upon him, and was unwilling or refused to own as much publickly as he
presented to Mr. Parker more privately, then I acknowledge there was a wilful
irregularity in admitting him to communion in that ordinance with us for the
witnesses I spoke of were not present when goodman Hale offered such full
satisfaction to Mr. Parker, which I understood not till a day or two after the
sacrament, but the testimony is that they there offered up like full satisfaction,
but it was not accepted except they would come to the sacrament. I shall not
for the future admit him nor any more of yours till they make it evident by full
proof that they have attended their duty in what is before mentioned, and then
though they should essay to join with that part of the church with you, which
do partake. I do not see how they can be rejected of other churches, yet not-
withstanding I shall not be very forward to admit any more of yours till God be
pleased to find out some way for issuing the difference amongst you, which
might have been obtained before this day, had both parties acknowledged to
each other what was amiss. I would not be understood as if I looked upon the
offences as equally evil, yet the mote in our eyes should trouble us (if the
humble soul may call his sin a mote) as well as in another's, for a less fault is
more hurtful to us, if not repented of, than the greatest crimes of others can be.
1 For my intermeddling as a busy-body in other men's matters, for that is the
apostles' expression that you seem to refer to, you cannot be ignorant that I can
easily answer it, but I desire not to aggravate, but to love you and delight in
you, notwithstanding all reflections, for I cannot but say that you have been and
are dear to me and reverend Mr. Parker also, though it may be neither of you
are very ready to believe it at present. I do not intend to trouble you with any
more writing (but hope we may have opportunity to discourse the matter lovingly
together.) In the meanwhile while the God of love and peace direct us in the
way thereof. Pray for your unworthy brother,
SAMUEL PHILLIPS.'
The difficulties in the church in Newbury had, it seems, excited
a deep interest in almost all parts of the state, and, as usual in times
of excitement, a vast deal of falsehood was circulated respecting
Mr. Parker. One of these stories was deemed of so much impor-
tance by the grand jury, that they sent the following to the county
court:
1 We present Edward Lumas of Ipswich for publishing these following words,
namely, l that Mr. Parker of Newbury had sent a letter to the lord arch bishop
of Canterbury for help and relief about their troubles at Newbury and that he
saw a copy of the letter.'
t For this offence,' the court records inform us, May first, 1672,
110 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
4 Edward Lumas and Robert Adams shall audibly make public ac-
knowledgement next lecture day.'
1672.
From the general court records I make the following extracts :
'May 19th, 1672. The court having perused the return of the messengers of
the churches chosen by order of the ecclesiastical court to inspect the
differences in the church of Newbury and to offer their best advice according to
the word of God for their composure and healing and to make return of what
they shall find and do in this matter unto this court or council of the common-
wealth and upon our consideration judge meet to declare their approbation of
the same and desire it may be attended to accordingly by all persons respect-
ively concerned, the particulars whereof are as followeth.
1 First, concerning Mr. Woodman and his company we do judge their actings
in withdrawing from the rest of the church, to set up meetings among them-
selves in the name of the church and to act the power of the church in admon-
ishing and suspending their reverend pastor and choosing elders, appointing a
time of ordination, although they be the major part of the brethren and, not-
withstanding offences and provocations given them we cannot but bear due
witness against them, as a violation of church order in the gospel and usurpa-
tion upon the liberties of their brethren, for although the whole church agree-
ing may censure an officer for gross and scandalous evils in dealing or conver-
sation, impenitently persisted in according to Colossians 4: 17, Romans 16 : 17,
as is alleged in the platform of discipline, yet in a divided state of the church
for the major part and that by a very few, and that in a matter doubtful and
disputable, to act as is aforesaid is a matter of great disorder and scandalous
and contrary to 1 Thessalonians 5:13, Gallatians 4 : 13, 1 Corinthians 13:4,
and therefore is a nullity.
1 Second, concerning the act of the reverend pastor and those with him sus-
pending Mr. Woodman and the brethren with him notwithstanding the offence
given them, yet to pass such an act or censure suddenly and thereby increasing
the rent and occasioning greater divisions and themselves being the minor part
of the church and not seeking after healing means and so forth or taking counsel
is irregular and null 1 Corinthians 14 : 40, 2 Corinthians 13 : 10. Thus far we
have in faithfulness declared our judgments concerning offences and failings
each party is guilty of. Some other things that are more dubious in the agita-
tions before us, we shall only give our advice about to avoid unnecessary dis-
putes about them for the future.
1 First, whereas our Lord Jesus Christ hath given liberty of voting in all their
own concerns to the whole church it necessarily follows that the judgment of
the whole church should be clearly manifested and forasmuch the scripture
mentioneth the lifting up of hands Acts 14 : 23, we judge that the most clear way
and rather to be chosen, and that a sufficient number should appear to discover
a major part, the rest being silent.
1 Second, we advise Mr. Woodman according to the fourth commandment to
attend diligently on the publick worship of God on the Lord's days avoiding
offence and evil example in the contrary so far as bodily infirmities will suffer
him so to do.
1 Third, in reference to the reverend Mr. Woodbridge we advise and entreat
that whereas the peace and edification of the church of Christ is much promo-
ted and depends upon the amicable close of spirit and united judgment, between
the officers and brethren, the speaker and hearers, the enemy being vigilant to
take all advantages to hinder the gracious operation of the holy word of God in
the publick ministry thereof, and whereas there doth appear not only some
hesitations, but distance in judgment in reference to discipline and of affections
and some other provoking words passed in publick in our hearing, we desire ,
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. Ill
request and advise the reverend Mr. Woodbridsp, not to impose himself or his
ministry (however otherwise desirable) upon this church, but that they have the
liberty that Jesus Christ, gospel rule, and approved church order, doth allow
them, to choose their own minister, that all obstruction to edification and ground
to temptation may be removed, as was intimated was the mind of the former
council, but to wait to see the mind of God in the issue of the reconciliation of
the church, if God shall guide their hearts to closing with him.
1 Fourth, we advise that hereafter ecclesiastical offences be not too suddenly
brought to civil courts without consulting with churches being contrary as we
judge to 2 Colossians 5, 6, 7.
* Considering the great age and weakness of reverend Mr. Parker and thereby
his unfimess to manage church discipline, we advise it as very suitable and
seasonable to this church's case to choose a ruling elder or two, provided they
be without just offence to either party, for the healing this great breach and
offences, that have brought so much dishonor to God, and the profession of the
gospel, and "been so destructive of the edification of this church and the people
of this plantation. We do advise and most seriously exhort in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ unto these duties, which the Lord requires of this church in
such a case.
1 First, that this church be sincerely and deeply humbled before the Lord as
for their divisions, distances and want of love in general, so also in particular
for such failings and evils as we have before mentioned and that according to
the nature and scandalousness of the evils any of them have fallen into, then
that every one may know and acknowledge the plague of their own heart be-
fore the Lord according to the rules of Christ Matthew 8 : 3. Revelations 3 : 5,
repent and do the first works and as God shall open their hearts, shall confess
to one another according to James 5:16.
i Second, we advise and exhort after due humiliation, there be a mutual,
hearty and free forgiveness of each other according to the rules of Christ, if thy
brother repent, forgive him even to seventy times seven. Matthew 8: 22,
Colossians 3:13 forbearing one another as God for Christ's sake forgave you
Matthew 18: 15.
< Third, we advise and exhort that this repentance may be manifested by all
such acts of reformation and love as is suitable to the grace of true repentance,
Matthew .3 : 8, bring therefore fruits meet for repentance, and that hereafter the
whole church walk according to the rule of faith, love and the order of the
gospel, whereunto you latterly had a seasonable exhortation that soe peace and
mercy may be upon you with the whole Israel of God.'
' The court also ordered the following letter to be sent to the church of
Newbury.
1 Reverend and beloved in our and your Lord.
1 By these we signify to you that we have received the
return of the within messengers of churches, elders and brethren of their trav-
ail and pains with you in pursuance of their churches' call upon our desire.
Upon reading and considering their result, we have passed our approbation of
the counsel therein given unto you, as suitable to your case, which we remit to
you with these. And although we might enjoin you. yet for love's sake we
beseech you and every one of you as you are concerned therein, pastor and
people, preacher and hearers, however before divided, that you jointly attend to
the counsel so given you, that we may say of you that though for some time you
have been unprofitable one to another, yet now you are become profitable again
as in former times, and that the churches of our Lord Jesus Christ which have
been saddened by your divisions and contentions, may have cause to rejoice in
and before the Lori on your behalf, and the name of the Lord, that hath been
dishonored may be honored by your mutual putting forth such acts of faith and
repentance as may reach to the recovering of your peace with the Lord and with
one another that so you may be found in t£e more excellent way of charity mani-
festing yourselves unto all men that you are Christ's disciples by loving one an-
other. Our just expectation is that you delay not in this great concern, but that
you apply every one in your respective places unto the furtherance thereof.
112 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Should there be a failure of you or any of you therein (which the Lord forbid)
you may not think but that we shall be necessitated to advise what further
course is to be taken according to God that contentions may be removed and
peace restored among you. Thus we commend you to the Lord and to the
word of his grace.'
By the court,
EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.
c To the reverend Thomas Parker,
pastor of the church in Newbury, to be com-
municated to the church there.'
I shall here give one more extract from the general court records,
and relieve the patience of the reader. It is the last notice that I
have been able to find on the subject in any record whatever.
'October 8th, 1672. Whereas there hath been a complaint exhibited to this
court by many of Newbury, whereby it is evident that the council agreed to and
sent in May last to be attended to by them hath not been so attended as the
court expected, and for that the persons more especially informed against, as ob-
structing the same have not, appeared personally before the court that they
might answer for themselves, this court doth further commend the said advice
unto them to be attended by both parties, professing their readiness there to and
that the distemper of their contentions may not obstruct in the manner of their
coming to the understanding of themselves and one another therein this court
doth appoint Mr. Thomas Danforth, Mr. William Stoughton, Mr. Urian Oakes,
doctor Leonard Hoar,' captain Thomas Clarke, Mr. Henry Bartholomew, Mr.
John Elliot and Mr. Joshua Moody as a committee and that the major part of
the whole meeting there shall be a quorum, who are to repair to Newbury and
call both parties together and persuade with them to attend the same in love and
Christian submission one to another according to God and in case there shall appear
any refractoriness in any amongst them that the persons so sent cannot prevail
with them that they then make return to the next court of election what they
find and do therein.'
To some of my readers the following transcript from the county
court files in Salem, may be interesting.
' I Ann Hills, sometime servant to Abraham Toppan, testify that Abraham
Toppan did make sundry voyages to the Barbadoes, of which one or two were
profitable, the produce being brought home in sugars, cotton wool and molasses,
which were then commodities, rendering great profit, wool being then at twelve
pence, sugar at six or eight pence per pound profit, of which he brought great
quantities.
t Jacob Toppan testifieth that the last voyage from Barbadoes above mentioned
he brought home eight barrels and one hogshead of sugar and two or three thou-
sand pounds of cotton wool.'
Testimonies taken in 1671.
1 April \st, 1672, [old style.] A great storme of driving snow
came out of the north west and drove up in drifts about six feet
deep. For the space of fourteen days [after] it was a sad time of
rain, not one whole fair day in fourteen and much damage done to
mills and other things by the flood, which followed.' ^
* Hampton records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 113
1673.
''March 26th. The town was fined five pounds for neglect about
Thorlay's bridge and ordered to make it passable for safe traveling,
on penalty of ten pounds more. John Pearson of Rowley to see it
made sufficiently and to be done by midsummer,' and so forth.^
* Richard Kent is freed from trayning by paying four bushels of
good mault to the use of the troop.' #
September 24th. l There was a storme of raine and snow so that
the ground was covered with snow and some of it continued till the
twenty-sixth.' f
January 31st. A committee was chosen for building a house * for
the ministry of the same dimensions every way as Nathaniel Clark's
is with the addition of a porch.' :£ 4 It was also voted to lay out
six acres of land behind captain Gerrish's house towards Trotter's
bridge for the ministry.' J
April 16th. ' The town voted that the minister's rate should be
made every year in October, one hah0 to be paid in English grain
as wheat, barley, rye and pease, the other half in Indian corn.' J
July 5th. i The selectmen ordered that John Webster shah1 pay
ten shillings and Peter Toppan five shillings for cutting down trees
on the land that is called the burying place.' £
When the town of Newbury was first settled, large quantities of
sturgeon were taken from the rivers Merrimac and Quascacunquen,
which were not only used and highly valued as an article of diet,
but pickled and packed in kegs for transportation.
Frequent allusions to this subject are made in the county and
state records, old account books, and so forth. Thus Wood, who
visited America in 1633, says, ' that much [sturgeon] is taken on the
banks of the Merrimac, twelve, fourteen, eighteen feet long, pickled
and sent to England.'
In 1656, * a keg of sturgeon, ten shillings,' was among the charges
for entertaining an ecclesiastical council at Salisbury. In 1667, Is-
rael Webster testified, ' that he carried twenty-two ferkins and kegs
of sturgeon from William Thomas' cellar to send to Boston.'
In 1670, Joseph Coker was licensed by the count/ court 'to make
sturgeon in order to transport.' In 1680, September twenty-eighth,
the records of the county court inform us, that ' Thomas Rogers [of
Newbury] is licensed to make sturgeon, provided he shall present
the court with a bowle of good sturgeon every Michaelmas court.'
In 1684, ' Caleb Moody and Daniel Pierce were licensed to boil
sturgeon in order to a market.' In 1733, captain Daniel Lunt of
Newbury was ordered to sell his sturgeon in Boston at twelve shil-
lings per keg, ' if he could get no more.' In the same year, Mr.
Daniel Pierce exchanged fifteen kegs of sturgeon for a small cask
of rum, and a larke cask of molasses.
* County records. t Hampton records. } Town records.
15
114 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
The following petition is copied from the original, now on file
among the papers in the state house, Boston.
1 To the honored general court assembled at Boston May seventh, 1673.
1 The petition of William Thomas humbly shewing,
1 That your petitioner after sundry experiments, and travels into foreign coun-
tries, upon great expence of his estate, hath through the blessing of God upon his
industry herein, attayned unto the art of boyling and pickling of sturgeon, by
means whereof it is a commoditie, not only in this countrie, but in England and
other parts for transportation and increase of traffique for the procuring of goods
more useful and needful for this countrie, and may so .continue and increase, if
sundry persons, of other callings, unskilful in that mystery, who for lucre of
monie and other sinister ends, presume to deal therein, shall not cause it to be
debased and of no value for transportation, as indeed by that means it in part
already is (as is known to sundry gentlemen and merchants of Boston) to the
defamation of your aged petitioner, and damage of the countrie, who now in the
seventy-fourth year of his pilgrimage, hath his whole dependance under God
for the subsistence of his family upon that employment, who if he were not
forestalled and circumvented by others might live comfortably, and also afford
some yearly revenue to the countrie, but some there are, that by hooke or crooke,
for strong liquors or otherwise, that finger the fish taken for and by the Indians
procured and employed by your petitioner, and that oft times upon payments
fore made for the same, and if he were not undermined and interrupted therein
by interlopers and other unskilful persons, it might be beneficial both to him
and the countrie.
1 His humble petition therefore is that henceforth no man be suffered to pickle
or put upp any sturgeon for trade or traffique directly or indirectly within this
jurisdiction but such as by lawful authoritie shall be licensed thereto on certain
penalties, as title, innkeepers or otherwise and that there may l?e some skilful
men impowered and sworn to search all such sturgeon as shall be packed or
putt up in any kind of vessels whatsoever, and to refuse all such as they shall find
defective for transportation or continuance at least the year about. And such
and such only shall be sufficient in all respects for traffique as aforesaid to mark
with the letters of their arid the sturgeon boiler's names. And that it may be
lawful for any man knowing of any sturgeon put upp as for trade or traffique,
that is not so marked, to inform any searchers or constables, and that they may
seize upon it as forfeited, one third to the informer, one third to the officer seiz-
ing, and the other third to the treasurer of the county where it shall be found.
* And your petitioner farther humbly prayeth that ne may be licensed for the
counties of Essex and Norfolk during his own and his wife's life, being aged
and altogether uncapable of any other way of subsistence or service in town or
countrie, which favour being granted your petitioner will cheerfully pay "to the
treasury or otherwise as this honored court shall appoint either ten kegs of stur-
geon yearly or every twentieth keg and firken by him made from time to time
or the true value thereof at every year's end namely, the twenty-ninth of Sep-
tember annually, and as duty binds him shall daily pray and so forth.
WILLIAM THOMAS.
Newbury, May seventh, 1673.'
Of the result of this petition we are not informed. Probably it
was not granted, as we find in 1674 that ' Peter Toppan was li-
censed to make, boyl and sell sturgeon,' and William Chandler was
appointed searcher and sealer of sturgeon, by the county court.
December 2d, 1673. ' A committee was chosen for the building
of Mr. [John] Richardson's house and to carry it on to the finishing
of if*
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 115
By this it appears that the town had determined to settle Mr.
Richardson as their minister, though he was not ordained till Octo-
ber, 1675. He probably commenced preaching early in this year,
and might have been instrumental in settling the difficulties, which
had agitated the church and town for more than a quarter of a cen-
tury, as we hear of no difficulty between the church and minister,
subsequent to the autumn of 1672. The situation of the church
and people of Newbury, at the time of his arrival here, undoubtedly
occasioned the peculiarity of his language in his conditions of set-
tlement, which were : ' first, so long as the people of God here do
continue in the profession of the true faith and peace of the gospel
as in Acts 11 : 42 ; second, so long as I may have the liberty of my
ministry among them ; and third, discharge my duty to my family.
Thus I say I do express myself willing to settle among you with a
true intention and a true affection.' *
'JoHN RICHARDSON.'
« August fifteenth, 1675.'
* The liberty of the ministry,' says the reverend doctor Popkin, 'is
an expression frequently used in the histories of the puritans : and
appears to be opposite in signification to that restraint, under which
they were held by ecclesiastical authority.'
' Francis Thorlay was presented for striking his brother Thomas
and flinging stones at him.' He was fined ten shillings and costs
of court f
1674.
1 March 2d. It was voted that the finishing of the house for the
ministry and the alteration of it is left to the selectmen.' J
March 28th. * It was voted that captain Gerrish, Mr. Daniel
Pierce and Tristram Coffin should lay out the six acres formerly
granted to build a house on and to make a pasture for the mainte-
nance of the future ministry, that part for the building of the house
to be on the side next to captain Gerrish's orchard and the rest of
the said six acres to be laid out next Richard Brown's pasture.' J
'December 6th. Reverend John Richardson was admitted a
member of the church in Newbury.' This is the earliest fact
recorded in the church book, all the preceding transactions having
been destroyed apparently by design. Until the settlement of Mr.
Richardson the records are in the handwriting of William Chandler.
In the latter end of this year, a converted Indian, named John
Sausaman, acquainted the governor of Plymouth that the profane
Indians were plotting mischief againt the English, and expressed his
apprehension that they would murder him. This apprehension was
realized, as, before the close of the winter, he was murdered by
three Indians, who were afterward tried and executed.
* Church records. t County records. J Town records.
116 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1675.
March 1st. 'A committee of two was appointed to complete the
finishing the ministry house and fencing about said house. Warn-
ing was also given by the selectmen for every person to appear with
carts and oxen and hands, and tools suitable to bring stones and so
forth and every person not having oxen is to appear in person to
help forward the work and so forth.' #
April 13th. * It was voted that the piece of meadow above Mr.
Sewall's farm, the meadow at Trotter's bridge, a piece at Lob's
pound and two parcels of salt marsh about three acres near Pine
island should be laid out to the ministry house for the use of Mr.
Richardson while he continues our minister, and so forth.' #
May 1th. ' There was laid out to Richard Dole six rods and a
quarter upon the point of land that lies between the two gutters,
that come from the point of rocks near Watts' his cellar about two
rods in breadth bounded by the river on the north to about a foot
upon the rock that is there on the south and three rods in length by
the water side and so forth adjoyning to the former grant' ^
This piece of land was between the market house in Newburyport
and Mr. George T. Granger's store.
June 18th. It was ordered that all non-freeholders should * pay
for every horse going on the commons five shillings, for every neat
beast two shillings and sixpence, for every score of sheep five shil-
lings, for every swine twelve pence and for every load of wood two
shillings and sixpence for the use of the town.' #
October 5th. The town voted that they would not fortify ' the
meeting house, but voted that they would buy a couple of field pie-
ces about seven or eight hundred apiece.'^
October 20th. Reverend John Richardson was ordained. His
salary was to be one hundred pounds a year. Each person was to
pay ' his proportion as followeth, one half in merchantable barley,
the rest in merchantable pork, wheat, butter or Indian corn, or such
pay paid unto Mr. Richardson to his satisfaction, as every person
may understand upon inquiry of Tristram Coffin,' who was chosen
in April * the town's attorney to gather Mr. Richardson's rates and
in case the said Tristram Coffin shall neglect his trust herein, he
shall pay forty shillings fine to the selectmen.'^
November 12th. Henry Short was appointed schoolmaster. He
is to have five pounds for the first half year and to have sixpence
a week for every scholar.
In the month of June this year the three Indians were executed,
who murdered John Sausaman. On the twenty-fourth of June was
shed the first English blood, in what was afterward called Philip's
wTar. On that day, nine Englishmen were murdered in Swanzy, by
the Indians, as they were returning from the meeting house, it being
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 117
the day appointed as a day of humiliation and prayer throughout
Plymouth colony, who being thus unexpectedly involved in trouble,
sent to the other colonies lor assistance. On June twenty-sixth,
soldiers marched from Boston to Plymouth. On the twenty-ninth,
a day of humiliation and prayer was appointed on account of the
war. The men prest from Newbury, were as follows, namely :
August 5th. Steven Greenleaf, Thomas Smith, John Toppan,
Caleb Richardson, Daniel Rolf, John Hobbs, Daniel Button, John
Wheeler, and Henry Bodwell, nine men and fourteen days' provis-
ions.
August 6th. Seven more were prest and fourteen days' provisions.
August 27th. Seven men were prest, fourteen days' provisions,
twenty-three bosses, saddles, and bridles.
September 23d. Two men and two days' provisions.
September 27th. Five men, ten days' provisions, and twenty-
three horses, saddles, and bridles, were pressed for th^ country's
service.
September 29th. Richard Kent's man was pressed.
December, 1675. Twenty-four men were pressed for the coun-
try's service, being in all forty -eight men, and forty-six horses, for
this year.
The town expenses for this year were very great
The minister's rate was 103 pounds, 17 shillings, 1 penny.
The expenses for the war, 457 " 18 " 8 pence.
The town debt was 191 " 3 " 9 "
Beside other expenses, not included in the above.
At the battle fought December nineteenth, at the Indians' fort in
Narraganset, ' four men were slayne,' of whom Daniel Rolfe was
from Newbury, and eighteen wounded, of whom Daniel Somerby,
Isaac Ilsley, Jonathan Emery, "William Standley, and Jonathan
Harvey were from Newbury.
Daniel Somerby was the only son of Henry Somerby. Before
he marched against the Indians 'he made his will, and soon after
his return died of his wounds.
1676-
January 2d. Thirteen men were impressed.
June 9th. Town voted to purchase a barrel of powder and fif-
teen hundred flints.
June 21st. The town appointed Henry Short < to keep school for
this year, from the first of May last, to the first of May next, and
the selectmen engage to pay him ten pounds out of the next town
rate, and if the number be about twenty scholars, he is to teach
them at the watch house.'^
Henry Short taught the grammar school. In his old note book
* Town records.
118 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
I find the following account of scholars, commencing thus : ' when
I kept school at home and the time they [the scholars] came.' Here
follow the names of seventeen scholars, from May tenth to Decem-
ber twenty-fifth.
The following extract from the colonial records presents to the
reader as lively a picture of the anxiety and distress among the
people of Massachusetts, occasioned by the bold arid daring deter-
mination of king Philip and his Indian allies to extirpate the Eng-
lish, as can well be imagined. The proposition to erect a fortifica-
tion of such a length and height, shows the desperation, to which
they were reduced, and the dangers to which they felt exposed.
1 At a court held in Boston March twenty-third, 1676.
1 Whereas several considerable persons have made application to us and pro-
posed it as a necessary expedient for the publick welfare and particularly for
the security of the whole county of Essex and part of Middlesex from inroads of
the common* enemy, that a line or fence of stockades or stones (as the matter
best suiteth) be made about eight feet high extending from Charles river where
it is navigable unto Concord river from George Farley's house, in Billerica. which
fence the council is informed is not in length above twelve miles, a good part
whereof is already done by large ponds that will conveniently fall into the line
and so forth, and so forth, by which means the whole tract will be environed
for the security and safety (under God) of the people, their houses, goods and
cattel from the rage and fury of the enemy.7
The court then orders one able and fit man from each of the
included towns to meet at Cambridge on March thirty-first, to sur-
vey the ground, estimate the expense, and so forth, and so forth, and
bring their report in writing how it may be prosecuted and effected,
what each town should pay, and so forth.
Nearly all the towns made a report.
That from Newbury is as follows, namely :
1 At a meeting of the selectmen of Newbury March 1675-6.
1 We having taken it into consideration what the honored council hath pro-
pounded unto us as to the fortifying from Merrimack river and so to Charlestown
river, we conceive it not feasible nor answering the end propounded, but leave
it to the consideration of wiser than ourselves, conceiving this to be difficult
in doing it or mayntaining it when done, but rather think it will most conduce
to our safety to have a sufficient company of men that may range to and fro as our
honored council judge meet. We have ordered several nouses to be garrisoned
and fortified and men appointed and are about fortifying with a mile or some-
what more from river to river most of our plow lands and houses, if men will
own our power (as we hope will be) with their own and our endeavours to com-
pleate our trust.
WILLIAM GERRISH, ' STEVEN GREENLEAF,
WILLIAM TITCOMB, PETER CHENEY,
BENJAMIN ROLFE; FRANCIS PLUMER,
Selectmen.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 119
1677.
March 5th. l Captain [Paul] White proposed for about a rod of
land at the hanging of the hill before his still house in the street.' #
I Marchant [Richard] Dole proposed for liberty to build a dock
about Watts his cellar, and as many of the town as were willing to
help him about it, he will accept of their help.' ^
March 21th. At the county court at Salem, 'Joshua Richardson,
Caleb Richardson, and Edward Ordway were sentenced to be
severely whipt or pay a fine of ten pounds each, for breaking into
the meeting house, demolishing a pew chairs and so forth.'
It appears by the town records that the selectmen had granted
permission to several young women to build * a new seat in the south
corner of the women's gallery.'
This pew or new seat, from some now unknown cause, excited
the indignation or anger of these young men, who, having demol-
ished the seat, chairs, and so forth, were tried, convicted, and
sentenced.
The following testimonies in the case are copied from the files of
the county court in Salem.
1 Testimony of aged forty -five years.
I 1 dow testify consaming the [mischiefj att the meting hows that the meting
hows windowse weare brocken open severall times and the dore was dabid
with a sarrowans and the ceay holt [key hole] dabid allso. There was a sar-
rowans pute in the come, which was pute in the meting hows lowft for safety,
which was in a cask in the chambear.'
• T dow testify that I saw Joshua Richardson uppon Wensday the wery next
day after the pue or new seate was brocken doun the last of January last past.
I on purpos towck wery good notis of him and to my onderstanding he did goo
ass weall att that time ass hee youste to due att other times, without any limp-
ing or a going lambe that I could perseaif.'
Another testimony declares, that the window was fastened with
1 tow hapsis,' and that the ' glass was broken in pessis.'
April 22d. Seventy-six of the principal inhabitants of Newbury
petitioned the court to mitigate their fines.
* We do not know,' say they, ' that any of the young men have
been detected of open crimes, have been diligent and laborious to
promote and support their parents, who stand in need of their help,
they have endured hardships and adventured their lives and limbs
for their country, they have openly, ingenuously and solemnly made
acknowledgment of their offence before many assembled "to that
end,' and so forth, and so forth.
April 2\th. Reverend Thomas Parker died.
Captain William Gerrish was ordered, April fifteenth, by major
general D. Denison to march to Salisbury with forty of his best
men, well armed, and so forth, and again/ May first, \vith twenty
men to Portsmouth. Expenses were five hundred pounds.
* Town records.
120 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Judge 'Sewall, in his diary, under date of 'July eighth, 1677, has
the following. i A female quaker [Margaret Brewster] in sermon
time came in a canvass frock, her hair dishevelled, loose like a peri-
wigg. her face as black as ink, led by two other quakers, and two
other quakers followed. It occasioned the greatest and most ama-
zing uproar that ever I saw.' She had previously taken off her
stockings and shoes, and left them in the porch of the meeting-house,^
under the care of John Easton, son of Nicholas Easton, formerly
of Newbury. John was afterward governor of Rhode Island.
September 2\.sl. The town desired captain Gerrish to propose to
' Ipswich court that Thomas Thorla's ordinary may be put down.' f
The town chose a committee ( to hire a schoolmaster,' and
voted to give him twenty pounds a year ' for encouragement besides
what they shall agree upon for the children that shall come to school
to him.' f
From an old account book I learn that this year turnips and ap-
ples were a shilling a bushel, a day's mowing, two shillings and two
pence, men's wages for a year ten pounds, women's wages from
four to five pounds, board four shillings per week, and labor two
shillings a day.
Thanksgiving, November third, on account of a plentiful harvest
and a cessation of the wrath and rage of the enemy.
1678.
March kth. ' Concerning building of a dock, it was granted,
provided that all boats that belong to the town shall have free liberty
of egresse and regress to lie there as occasion may serve.' f
This was probably the dock for which Richard Dole petitioned,
as in September ' a committee was chosen to conclude the business
between marchant Dole and the town about his dock.'
September 20th. The committee appointed for that purpose laid
out ' to Richard Dole senior a parcel of land lying near Watts his
cellar, where he is now building' a wharf and dock"* three rods broad
from the east side of the west gutter to a stake near to the great
rock with the flats adjoining thereto excepting two rods in breadth
upon the easterly point of upland, which is to lie for a perpetual
high way for the town's use to the dock for to unlade hay, wood,
timber, boards, or any thing else, which is produced in or upon the
river, it not being imported from or exported to the sea, We also
do grant the town's title, right and interest to the point of land on the
northerly side thereof, which is commonly known by the name of
captain White's point and so forth and the said Dole is to set a
wharf against the two rod that is appointed for a way for the town's
use.' f
November 22d. Town voted to continue the ' twenty pounds a
* Old South, Boston. t Town records.
HISTORY OP NEWBURY. 121
year to the schoolmaster,' and i that Mr. Richardson, so long as he
carries on the whole work of the ministry among us, shall have
twenty pounds a year added or two contributions, which he pleases
to accept.' ^
December 22d. Town voted that * Thorlay's bridge should be
built at the town's charge as the court gave them liberty.' * v
< Judith Thorla was fined for selling liquor to the Indians on the
Lord's day.'
In this year a new brick building was erected at Cambridge as a
college building. It was erected by subscription. Newbury gave
thirty-three pounds and three shillings. Rowley forty-five' pounds,
and Ipswich eighty pounds.
November 12th. The town granted to John Emery, junior, twelve
acres of land, beginning at Artichoke river, on condition that he
build a grist mill.
November 26th. In answer to a petition of the selectmen, New-
bury was allowed to build a firm and safe 'bridge.'^ The toll ca
penny for a man and three pence for a horse.'
' The wife of John Davis of Lynn was presented for breaking her
husband's head with a quart pot and otherways abusing him.'
This year all persons over sixteen years of age were required to
take the oath of allegiance.X A list of their names from every town_
in the county of Essex is in the county records. That of Newbury
contains the names of two hundred and thirty-six persons, with their
ages affixed by Mr. John Woodbridge, who administered the oath
in September. In no other list are the ages given.
1679.
March 3d. ' The town granted to John Emery junior twelve
acres of land on the west side of Artichoke river provided he build
and maintain a corn mill to grind the town's corn from time to time
and to build it within one year and a half after the date hereof and
so forth.' =fc
In compliance with the law the selectmen chose fourteen tything
men, each of whom had a specific duty to do respecting a designa-
ted number of families, generally ten, all living in the same neigh-
borhood, and classed by the selectmen. After making the arrange-
ment, they sent a note to each of the tything men, informing them of
their appointment, and of the families committed to their care. A
copy of one of these notes, found among the papers of the late
deacon Abraham Merrill, is here subjoined.
1 To deacon Abraham Merrill.
1 At a meeting of the selectmen March thirty-first, 1679.
' You are hereby required to take notice that you are chosen according to
court order by the selectmen to bee a tithing man to have inspection into and
* Town records.
16
122 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
look over these familes that they attend the publick worship of God, and do not
break the sabbath, and further you are to attend as the court order declares.
' The names of the families are Edward Woodman junior, Samuel Bartlet,
Richard Bartlet, Abel Pilsbury, John Stevens, Christopher Bartlet, Thomas
Chase, goodman Bailey, John Chase.
By order of the selectmen.
ANTHONY SoMERBy, Recorder.'
May 21st. A committee of twelve men was appointed, c to con-
sult of a way for dividing of the upper commons if it be possible
so to agree that the town may like of it.' ^
May 2Sth. The selectmen petitioned to the general court respect-
ing Plum island, in which they say that the inhabitants ' of Rowley
having sold their parts to several of Newbury and some of Ipswich,
so that the whole island now is in the occupation of the inhabitants
of Ipswich and Newbury, who make improvement by cutting the
grass, and some of Ipswich by planting some small parcels thereof,
and by reason of the impossibility to part the island by fencing, and
the proprietors of Ipswich by reason thereof finding themselves
much damnified in that their marshes were trodden to dirt and al-
most utterly spoiled by a multitude of horses and other cattle put
thereon by those of Newbury in the winter to live of what they can
get and suffered there to continue till the middle of May, if not lon-
ger which will unavoidably (as experience hath taught us) be the
ruin and utter destruction of the whole island, the horses and cattle
eating up the grass, that grows upon the sand hills, which gives a
stop to the running of the sands in stormy weather, which other-
wise would in a very short space cover all the marshes, as we have
found at Castle neck. Wherefore we beseech this honored court to
prohibit the patting or going of any horses, cattle and so forth upon
the said island and so forth and so forth.'
August 29th. * Town voted to new clapboard and repair the
minister's house, and dig a well.? ^
December 24th. Mr. Daniel Davison proposed to have 6 liberty to
make a building dock about Watts his cellar.' %•
This year is rendered memorable by the commencement of the
only recorded case of supposed witchcraft, in Newbury, that was
ever subjected to a legal investigation. The principal sufferer in
this tragi-comedy, for so it might well be called, was Elizabeth
Morse, who, with her husband, William Morse, a shoemaker, resided
in a house, still standing, at the head of Market street, in [now]
Newburyport. He was then sixty-five years of age, and is said to
have been a very worthy, but credulous, unsuspecting man, and
consequently a very easy dupe to the impositions practiced upon
him. Not suspecting any deception, the good man readily attributed
all his troubles and afflictions to the supernatural agency of witch-
craft, instead of watching the actions of those around him, especially
of a roguish grandson, who jived with him. At that time, especially,
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 123
a belief in witchcraft was almost universal, and afforded a ready
solution of every thing strange and unintelligible. No one appears
to have suspected the boy as the author of any part of the mischief,
except one Caleb Powell. Believing from what he had seen, that
the whole affair was the result of human agency, with nothing
supernatural or marvelous about it, he informed goodman Morse
that he believed he could ascertain the cause of his trouble, and
develop the whole mystery. The better to conceal his purpose, he
affected, as will be hereafter seen, to have a knowledge of astrology
and astronomy, and if he only had another learned man, and said
Morse's grandson with him, the whole truth would come to light.
The consequence was, that suspicions of witchcraft, and of dealing
in the black art, fell upon him. He was accused, tried, and narrowly
escaped with his life, thus affording another proof of the danger
arising to any person, in being, or pretending to be, wiser than his
neighbors.
That the whole affair may be understood, the evidence, and so
forth, taken from the court records in Salem, is here subjoined.
December 3d, 1679. 'Caleb Powell being complained of for suspicion of
working with the devill to the molesting of YVilliam Morse and his family, was
by warrant directed to the constable, brought in by him, the accusations and
testimonies were read and the complaint respited till the Monday following.7
December 8tk, Monday. '• Caleb Powell appeared according to order and farther
testimony produced against him by William Morse, which being read and con-
sidered, it was determined that the said William Morse should present the case
against Caleb Powell at the county court to be held at Ipswich the last Tuesday
in March following and in order hereunto William Morse acknowledgeth him-
self indebted to the treasurer of the county of Essex the full summe of twenty
pounds.
' The condition of this obligation is that the sayd William Morse shall prose-
cute his complaint against Caleb Powell at that time.
1 Caleb Powell was delivered as a prisoner to the constable till he find security
of twenty pounds for the answering of the sayd complaint, or else he was to be
cast into prison.
JOHN WOODBRIDGE, Commissioner.'
The following is a specimen of the testimony against him.
I John Badger affirmeth that Caleb Powell said that he thought by Astrologie,
and I think he said by Astronomic too with it he could find out whether or no
there were diabolicall means used about the said Morse his trouble, and that the
said Caleb said hee thought to try to find it out.'
Anthony Morse's testimony.
I 1 Anthony Mors ocationlly being att my brother Morse's hems, my brother
showed me a pece of a brick, which had several tims come down the chimne.
I sitting in the cornar towck the pece of brik in my hand. Within a littell spas
of tiem the pece of brik was gon from me I know not by what nJfeanes. Quickly
aftar. the pece of brik came down the chimne. Also in the chimny cornar I
saw a hamar on the ground. Their being no person near the hamar it was sod-
enly gone ; -by what meains I know not. but within a littell spas after, the hamar
came down the chimny, and within a littell spas of tiem aftar that, came a pece
124 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
of woud, about a fute loung? and within a littell after that came down a fiar
brend, the fiar being out. This was about ten deays agoo.
Newbury December eighth, 1679.
Taken on oath December eighth, 1679 before me
JOHN WOODBRIDGE; Commissioner.'
December 5th, 1679. l The testimony of William Mors and his wife, which
they both saw one last Thursday night my wife and I being in bed we heard a
great noies against the ruf with stekes and stones throwing against the hous
with great vialanse whereupon I myselfe arose and my wife and saw not anny
body, but was forsed to retunie into the house againe, the stones being thrown
so vilantly aganst us we gooing to bed againe and the same noies in the hus we
Lock the dore againe fast and about midnight we heard a grete nayes of A hoge
in the house and I arcs and found a grete hoge in the huse and the dore being
shut. I opened the dore the hoge running vilently out. The next morning a
Stek of Lenkes hanging in the Chemney fast I saw Com Down vilintly and not
anny body ner to them and Jumped up upon A Chaire before the fire ; I hanged
them up again and they Com down again into the fire. The next day I had an
Aule in the window, which was taken away I know not how and Com Dune
the chimney. I take the same ale and put into a Cubard and fasened the Dore.
The same ale Com Down 3 or 4 times. We had a basket in the Chamber Com
Doun the Chemney. I tooke it up myselfe and laide it before me, it was Sud-
inly taken away I know not how and Com dune the Chimney againe. I then
took a brick and put into it and said it shold cary that away, if it ded goo up
againe. It was taken away I know not how and Com dune the Chemney and
the brick a Letel after it. One Saturday next Corn stekes on Light fire dune
Chimney and stones, and then my 'awls taken away from me 4 times as I used
them and Com Douen the Chemney 4 times. My nailes in a cover of A ferkin
Com douen the Chemney againe. The dore being Locked I heard a hoge in
the house I let alone until day and found it to bee one of my owne, willing to
goo out. The next day being Sabath Stekes and stones were thrown viliantly
[down] the Chemney. One Munday next Mr. Richeson and annother saw many
things. I sent my boy to se if nothing was amis in my barne. I not being
abel to tey my Catel up to ni^htes but stel being untied with many other strange
thinges, the frame being thrown Downe upon the boy : We all run out to help
him in.
' When we Com in we saw a Coten whele turned with the Leges upward and
many thinges set up on it as a Stale and a Spade Lick the form of a ship.
Potes hanging over the fire Dashing one against the other I being forsed to
unhang them. We saw A andiron dance up and dune many times and into a
?ot and out againe up atop of a tabal, the pot turning over and Speling all in it.
saw a tube turn over with the hop fling of it. I sending my boy to fech my
toles, which I doe mak Ropes with, so soone as the dore being opened thay
Com viliantly Doune of themselves. Againe a tub of bred Com dune from a
Shelufe and turned over. My wife went to make the bed the Clothes Ded fly of
many times of themselves, and a Chest open and Shut and Dores fli together.
My wife going into the Seler thinges tumbling dune and the dore fling together
vialintly. I being at prayer my hed being Cufred with A Cloth A Chaire did
often times bow to me and then Strike me on the side. My wife Corn out of
the other rome A wege of Iron being thrown at her, and A spade, but [did] not
rech her, and A stone, which hurt her much, I seting by the fire with my wife
and to more neighbours with us A stone Struk against the Lampe and struk it
out many times, and a shoo, which we saw in Chamber before Com doune the
Chemney the Dore being shut and struk me A blow one the hed, which ded
much hurte. A mate of A ship Coming often to me and said he much grefed
for me and said the boye was the case of all my truble and my wife was much
Ronged, and was no wich, and if I would let him have the boye but one day
he would warrant me no more truble. I being persuaded to it he Com the nex
day at the brek of day, and the boy was with him untel night and I had not any
truble since}
The preceding testimony is in the handwriting of William Morse.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 125
1680.
January 5th. ' The town granted liberty to ensign [Stephen] Green-
leaf and Mr. [Daniel] Davison to build a wharf at the point of rocks
above Watts his cellar, to be threescore feet in front at high water mark
and so down to low water mark, provided the inhabitants of the town
shall have liberty to land wood or hay or other goods so that the said
goods be not above twenty-four hours, neither at any time to do them
damage.' ^
At the same meeting Nathaniel Clarke, doctor John Dole, Rich-
ard Dole, Benjamin Rolf, and Robert Coker in ' the behalf of his
son Benjamin Coker, each proposed for a place to make a wharfe.'*
February 6th. ' Joseph Pike was chosen to gather the rest of the
contribution for the college.' #
March 1st. The town granted to Nathaniel Clarke a parcel of
the flats on the southeast of the point l of rocks, that was granted to
captain White provided it be done within three years.-' #
The town also voted to grant the proposition of ' Benjamin Rolf,
doctor John Dole and Richard Dole for four or five rods on the flats
from Watts cellar spring to ensign GreenleaPs for a place to build
a wharf and a place to build vessels upon provided they come not
within ten or twelve feet of the spring and make up said wharf
within three years' and so forth.*1
March 2-Wi. Sixteen tithing men were chosen.*1
At the March term at Ipswich court the following additional tes-
timony was produced in the case of Caleb Powell, taken February
twenty-seventh, 1680.
' Sarah Hale aged thirty-three and Joseph Mirick testify that Joseph Moores
hath often said in their hearing that if there were any wizards, he was sure
Caleb Powell was one.'
NOTE. This Joseph Moores was the boatswain of the ship, of which Caleb Powell
was mate, and Joseph Dole, captain.
1 Deposition of Mary Tucker aged about twenty.
1 She remembereth that Caleb Powell came into their house and sayd to this
purpose that he coming to William Morse his house and the old man being at
prayer he thought not fit to go in. but looked in at the window and he sayd he
had broken the inchantment. for he saw the boy play tricks while he was at
prayer and mentioned some and among tlie rest that he saw him to fling the sliooe
at the old man's head}
The court, after reading all the testimony that could be produced
against Caleb Powell, came to the following conclusion.
1 Upon hearing the complaint brought to this court against Caleb Powell for
suspicion of working by the devill to the molesting of the family of William
Morse of Newbury, though this court cannot find any evident ground of pro-
ceeding farther against the sayd Powell, yett we determine that "he hath given
* Town records.
126 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
such ground of suspicion of his so dealing that we cannot so acquit him but
that he justly deserves to beare his owne shame and the costs of prosecution of the
complaint.'
1 It is referred to Mr. Woodbridge to hear and determine the charges.'
The court at this time must have been men of profound wisdom
and accurate discrimination, as they appear to have determined, first,
that he was just guilty enough to pay the expense of being'Wspect-
ed, secondly, that he ought ' to bear his owne shame,' and, thirdly, that
they had no reason to believe that he was guilty at all. This some-
what resembles the case, which is not found in the books, where A.
sues B. for breaking a borrowed kettle. The defence was, ' first we
never had the kettle, secondly, it was broken when we borrowed it,
and thirdly, it was whole when we returned it.'
The people, however, were not so lenient as the judges. If Ca-
leb Powell was innocent, some other person must be guilty of ' be-
ing instigated by the divil,' for, in their opinion, no agency merely
human could produce effects so strange and unaccountable. They
accordingly selected Elizabeth Morse, the wife of William Morse,
as the guilty person, as we shall hereafter see.
April 13th. i In answer to the proposition of Ipswich inhabitants
to prohibit all sorts of cattle from going any more on Plum island
winter or summer, the town's conclusion is that they do not consent
to such an act.' ^
May 17th. ' The town granted Mr. Richardson twenty pounds in
money, and forty pounds in other pay, to build an addition to the
ministry house, and so forth.' ^
May 19th. On petition of some of the inhabitants ' of Newbury
the selectmen were authorised to raise by way of rate sixty pounds
per annum to be to the use of the schoolmaster there.' #
June 28th. ^ Governor Bradstreet thus writes to England. ' The
principal townes of trade within our government are Boston,
Charlestown and Salem. Some little trade there is for country
people at Ipswich, Newbury and so forth.
* The number of merchants in the colony is nearly forty, and
about one hundred or one hundred and twenty ships, sloops, ketches
and other vessels.'
( At a court of assistants on adjournment held at Boston May twentieth 1680.
1 The grand Jury presenting Elizabeth, wife of William Morse senior. She
was indicted by the name of Elizabeth Morse for that she not having the fear
of God before her eyes, being instigated by the Divil and had familiarity with
the Divil contrary to the peace of our sovereign lord the king, his crown and
dignity, the laws of God, and of this jurisdiction, after the prisoner was at the
barr and pleaded not guilty, and put herself on God and the country for triall,
the evidences being produced were read and committed to the jury."
'The jury brought in their verdict. They found Elizabeth Morse, the
prisoner at the barr, guilty according to indictment. The governor on the
twenty-seventh of May after ye lecture pronounced ye sentence.
' Elizabeth Morse, you are to goe from hence to the place from whence you
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 127
came and thence to the place of execution and there to be hanged by the neck,
till you be dead, and the Lord have mercy on your soul.
•The court was adjourned diem per diem and on the first of June 1680 the
governor and magistrates voted the reprieving of Elizabeth Morse condemned
to the next session of tke court in October as attests.
EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary?
It appears from the record, that the reprieve was not agreeable to
the deputies, who, on assembling in November, thus complain :
' The deputies on perusal of the acts of the honorable court of assistants
relating to the woman, condemned for witchcraft doe not understand why exe-
cution of the sentence given against her by said court is not executed and that
her second repreevall seems to us to be beyond what the law will allow and
doe therefore judge meele to declare ourselves against it with reference to the
concurrence of our honored magistrates hereto.
WM. TORRE Y Cleric.
November third, 1680.
Not consented to by the magistrates.
EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.1
No record gives us any farther information concerning Elizabeth
Morse this year.
August 18th. ' The selectmen ordered that Anthony Morse
should every sabbath day go or send his boy to Mr. Richardson
and tell him when he is going to ring the last bell every meeting
and for that service is to have ten shillings a year added to his
former annuity.' *
October 22d. < It was agreed that Mr. Burly should keep school
in the watch house.' *
The Essex regiment was divided into two, to be commanded by
major N: Saltonstall, and major D. Denison. Newbury to have
two companies, and Ipswich three.
This year, Thorlas bridge was, on the petition of Rowley people,
made a county bridge.
1681.
The case of Elizabeth Morse, who had been reprieved by the gov-
ernor, was again brought before the general court, to whom William
Morse, her husband, sent two petitions, the one on May fourteenth,
in the elegant handwriting of William Chandler of Newbury, ihe
other on May eighteenth, in the handwriting of major Robert Pike
of Salisbury, who was the next year chosen one of the assistants.
His first petition is as follows.
c To the honored generall court now sitting in Boston.
1 The humble petition of William Mors in behalfe of his wife, Elizabeth
Mors your distressed Prisoner, humbly begging this that you would be pleased
to give your petitioner leave to present to your consideration what may clere up
the truth in those evidences wch hath bin presented and what is otherwise as
first. To Joseph Bayley his testimony. Wee are ignorant of any such thing.
* Town records.
128 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Had it bin then spoken of, we might have cleared ourselves. He might have
observed some other as my wife, it being a frequent thing for Catle to be at a
stand.
1 To Jonathan Haines. As to his Catle, or himselfe, not making good work
at such a time, when Catlft are haggled out, to place it on such account) yt his
neglect in not bringing us a bow of mault was the cause, which had it bin spo-
ken of wee might have given full satisfaction.
1 To Caleb Moody. As to what befell him in and about his not seeing my
wife, yt his cow making no hast to hir calfe, wch wee are ignorant of, it being
so long since, and being in church communion with us, should have spoken of
it like a Christian and yn proceeded so as wee might have given an answer in
less time yn tenn yeares. Wee are ignorant yt he had a shepe so dyed. And
his wife knowne to be a pretious godly whoman, yt. hath oftne spoken to hir
husband not to be so uncharitable and have and doe carry it like a Christian
with a due respect in hir carridge towards my wife all along.
* To John Mighill. About ye loss of his catle was yt he came one day to
worke, and would have had him come another day to finish it because ye raine
came in so upon us, and his not coming, judges my wife was angry and yrfore
had such loss, wch wee never knew of. This being twelve yeares agoe did
amaze us now to here of it.
1 To Zachariah Davis. To sensure my wife now for not bringing quills aboute
sixteen yeares agoe yt his loss of calfes was for that, when his father being in
communion with us did profess it to us yt he judged it a hand of God and was
farr from blaming us but rather troubled his sonn should so judge.
' To Joshua Richardson loosing a shepe and his taking it forth off our yard,
my wife should say you might have asked leave, and whether overdriving it or
what, now to bring it in I hope will be considered.
' To John March Test. He heard John Wells his wife say she saw imp o7 God
into said Morss howse. She being prosecuted would not owne it and was ad-
judged to pay damages, and now this is brought in.
' To James Browne Test, yt one day George Wheeler going forth, my wife
should say for a trifle she knew he should not come in againe, which my wife
knowes not of it, nor doth some of ye owners ever remember such a thing as to
judge or charge it on hir, but now is broughi forth sixteen yeares after when his
wife said to goody Hale yt said /Browne was mistaken. Hir husband did come
home well that voyage; and that James Browne should say to Robert Bedell yt
yt Powell, whom wee sued did put in these words and not himselfe in the test
and yt said Browne did oune to his unkle Mr. Nicholas Noyes yt he could not
sware to such a test ; and did refuse to doe it before Mr. John Woodbridge, and
Mr. Woodbridge did admire he had sworne to it. And for his seeing my wife
amongst troopers. What condition he might be in wee leave it to consideration.
Wee are ignorant of such a thing till now brought in so many yeares agoe as
he saith.
1 To good wife Ordway. Hir child being long ill, my wife coming in and
looking on it, pitting of it, did feare it would dy, and when it dyed Israeli Web-
ster our next neighbour heard not a word of it, nor spoken of by others, nor any
of ye family, but hir conceite, and now brought in.
1 As for William Chandler's test, aboute his wife's long sickness and my
wife's visiting hir, she through hir weakness acted uncivilly and yet now to
bring in against my wife, when for so many yeares being in full communion
with us never dealt with us aboute any such thing, but had as loving converse
with him as Christians ought, and knew no otherwise till now.
( To widow Goodwin hir having hir child sick, gave forth yt it was bewitched
by my wife, as she thought ; wee hearing of it dealt with hir aboute it, and she
brake forth in teares, craving forgiveness, and said it was others put hir upon it
to say as she did, but now urged by Powell to say as she now saith.
1 To John Chase so saying yt he saw my wife in the night coming in at a little
hole, and ye like, when he himselfe hath said he did not know but he was in a
dreame, and yt unto several persons he hath so said, though now as he test.,
when my wife disowns any such thing.
1 To John Glading yt saw halfe of my wife about two a clocke in ye day time,
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 129
if so might then have spoken, and not reserved for so long a time, which she
utterly denies it, nor know of any such thing, where she should be at yt time
as to clere hir selfe.
' To William Fanning should say my boy said the devill was at his howse.
Upon Fanning's saying to the boy ye devill was at their howse, and he
would have me chide ye boy, which I tould said Fanning ye boy might be
instructed to know ye devill was every where though not as at our howse, and
should not in time of affliction upbraid him to our griefe.
1 To Jonathan Woodman, seeing a catt, and so forth, he struck at it, and
it vanisht away and I sending for doctor Dole to see a bruise my wife had by
the fall of a peece reching downe some bacan in our chimly, which was many
days before this time, as doctor Dole affirms it was no green wound, though
neglected to send for said Dole till then.
' To Benjamin Lowle about my boy's ketching a pidgin ; my boy desired of
me to see to ketch a pidgin, by throwing a stone, or ye like, and he brought a
pidgin, which I affirm was wounded, though alive.
1 To good wife Miricke about a letter. My wife telling her somewhat of ye
letter, which she judges could not be and my wife hearing of it there was a
discourse and so forth aboute this love letter, might speake something about it by
guess, and not by any such way as she judged, and many have spoken, guess-
ing at things, which might be.
1 As to our troubles in ye howse it hath bin dreddfull, and afflictive and to
say it ceased upon hir departure, when it ceased before for a time and after she
was gone there was trouble againe.
1 As to rumors of some great wickedness committed in ye house, which should
cause ye divill so to trouble us, our conscience is clere of ye knowledge of any
such thing more than our common frailtyes and I reverence the holy sourainty
of God in laying such affliction on us. and that God's servants may be so afflic-
ted in this manner as hath bin knowne. And that Mr. Wilson of Ipswich,
where she hath bin twenty-eight weekes, did declare to me yt my wife's con-
versation was christian-like as far as he observed. Thus praying for you in
this and all other your conceraes, am your distressed servant.
WILLIAM MORSE.
Newbury May fourteenth 1681.'
From the preceding petition of William Morse, and his attempted
answers to the accusations and charges brought against his wife
Elizabeth, and sent to the general court, it appears that seventeen
persons had given in their testimony in writing, stating their reasons
why they verily believed goody Morse was really a witch, and ought
to be hung, according to the old Mosaic law, which says, c thou shalt
not suffer a witch to live.' Of these testimonies only one is to be
found on the files of the general court. If this one is a fair speci-
men of the whole, the loss of the remainder is not greatly to be
regretted, except as a specimen of the logic of that day, and of the
manner in which some of our ancestors stated their premises, and
drew thence their most profound conclusions. It is here presented
entire, and if it. does not most conclusively prove that Elizabeth
Morse was guilty of witchcraft, and ought not to have been suffered
to live, it will only furnish another evidence that belief and demon-
stration are not identical, and that what is sincerely believed is not
for that reason always true. Zechariah Davis thus testifies verbatim
and literatim.
1 When I lived at Salisbury, William Morses' wife asked of me whether I
could let her have a small passell of winges and I told her I woode, so she
17
130 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
would have me bring them over for her the next time I came over, but I came
over and did not think of the winges, but met goody Morse, she asked me
whether I had brought over her winges and I tel her no I did not thinke of it,
so I came 3 ore 4 times and had them in my minde a litel before I came over
but stil forget them at my coming away so meting with her every time that I
came over without them aftar I had promised her the winges, soe she tel me
she wonder at it that my memory should be soe bad, but when I came home I
went to the barne and there was 3 cafes in a pen. One of them fel a danceing
and roreing and was in such a condition as I never saw on cafe in before, but
being almost night the cattle came home and we put him to his dam and he
sucke and was well 3 or 4 dayes, and on of them was my brothers then come
over to Nubery, but we did not thinke to send the winges, but when he came
home and went to the barne this cafe fel a danceing and roreing so \vee put
him to the cowe, but he would not sucke but rane a roreinge away soe wee gate
him againe with much adoe and put him into the barne and we heard him roer
severall times in the night and in the morning I went to the barne and there he
was seting upon his taile like a doge, and I never see no cafe set aftar that
manner before and so he remained in these fits while he died.'
Taken on oath June seventh, 1679.
From the date of the preceding testimony, it is evident it was
used in the county court prior to the transfer of the case to the
state tribunals. On the eighteenth of May, William Morse pre-
sented the following petition.
c To the honored governor, deputy governor, magistrates and deputies now
assembled in court May the eighteenth 1681.
'The most humble petition and request of William Morse in behalf of his
wif (now a condemned prisoner) to this honored court is that they would be
pleased so far to hearken to the cry of your poor prisoner, who am a condemned
person, upon the charge of witchcraft and for a wich, to which charge your
poor prisoner have pleaded not guilty, and by the mercy of God and the good-
ness of the honored governor, I am reprieved and brought to this honored court,
at the foot of which tribunal I now stand humbly prayinp your justis in hearing
of my case and to determine therein as the Lord shall direct. I do not under-
stand law, nor do I know how to lay my case before you as I ought, for want of
which I humbly beg of your honors that my request may not be rejected, but
may find acceptance with you it being no more but your sentence upon my
triall whether I shall live or dy, to which I shall humbly submit unto the Lord
and you.
William Morse in behalf of his wife
ELIZABETH MORSE.'
For reasons, which do not appear on the records, the deputies
had changed their minds, and, instead of being dissatisfied with her
respite, were willing to grant another hearing of the case. This
the magistrates opposed. In the court record it is thus stated :
* The deputyes judge meet to grant the petitioner a hearing the next sixth
day and that warrants goe forth to all persons concerned, from this court then
to appear in order to her further triall our honored magistrates hereto con-
senting.
WM. TORREY, Cleric.
May twenty-fourth; 1681.
Not consented to by the magistrates.
EDWARD RAWSON, Secretary.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 131
The following additional testimony, taken from the county files,
is here presented, as necessary to a full understanding of the whole
case. It is in the handwriting of John Woodbridge, esquire, and
was undoubtedly copied by him from the original, written by
William Morse " himself, and should have been inserted in 1679.
The curious reader will be much amused in comparing this, and
the preceding testimony of William Morse, with the report of the
same case, made by Increase Mather in his ' Remarkables,' and
especially that made by Cotton Mather, in volume second, pages 391
and 392' of the Magnalia. In that ' wonderful ' book, the latter
gentleman perverts and amplifies the testimony to a 'prodigious
and nefandous ' extent. If his ' fourteen astonishing histories ' in
his ' Thaumatographia Pneumatica,' have been as much indebted
to his imagination for the dress which they now wear, as that of
William Morse, it is no wonder that Mr. Savage, in his appendix
to Winthrop, volume first, page 417, says of him, that ' instead of
weighing evidence, [he] had not discretion enough to be trusted to
wipe the scales.'
( The testimony of William Morse, which saith together with his wife aged
both about sixty-five yeeres, that Thursday night being the twenty-seventh day
of November, we heard a great noyes without round the house of knocking the
boards of the house and, as we conceived, throwing of stones at the house,
whereupon myselfe and wife lookt eut and saw no body and the boy all this
time with us, but we had stones and sticks thrown at us that we were forced to
retire into the house againe, afterwards we went to bed and the boy with us
and then the like noyes was upon the roof of the house.
1 The same night about midnight the doore being lockt when we went to bed,
we heard a great hog in the house grunt and make a noyes, as we thought
willing to gett out, an cT that we might not be disturbed in our sleep I rose to let
him out, and I found a hog in the house and the doore unlockt. The doore was
firmly lockt when we went to bed.
' The next morning a stick of links hanging in the chimney, they were
thrown out of their place, and we hanged them up againe and they were
thrown downe againe and come into the fire.
' The night following I had a great awle lying in the window, the which
awle we saw fall downe out of the chimney into the ashes by the fire.
1 After this I bid the boy put the same awle into the cupboard, which we saw
done and the doore shut to. this same awle came presently downe the chimney
againe in our sight, and I took it up myselfe. Againe the same night we saw
a little Indian baskett, that was in the loft before, came downe the chimney
againe and I took the same baskett. put a piece of brick in it, and the baskett
with the brick was gone, and came downe againe the third time with the brick
in it and went up againe the fourth time and came downe againe without the
brick, and the brick came downe a little after.
c The next day being Saturday, stones, sticks and pieces of bricks came
downe so that we could not quietly eat our breakfast, and sticks of fire also
came downe at the same time.
1 That same day in the afternoon my thread four times taken away and came
downe the chimney againe ; my awle and a gimlett wanting, came downe the
chimney. Againe my leather taken away came downe the chimney. Againe
my nailes being in the cover of a ferkin taken away, came downe the chimney.
1 The next day being Sunday many stones and sticks and pieces of bricks
came down the chimneye. On Monday Mr. Richardson [the minister] and my
brother being there, the frame of my cow house they saw very firme, I sent my
boy to skare the fowles from my hogs' meat. He went to the cow house and it
132 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
fell downe, my boy crying with the hurt of the fall. In the afternoone the potts
hanging over the fire, did dash so vehemently one against the other, we sett
downe one that they might not dash to pieces. I saw the andiron leap in to the
pott and dance, and leap out, and againe leap in and dance, and leap out againe,
and leap on a table and there abide, and my wife saw the andiron on the table.
Also I saw the pott turn itselfe over and throw down all the water. Againe we
saw a tray with wool leap up and downe and throw the wool out and saw no
body meddle with it. Againe a tub his hoop fly off, of itselfe and the tub turne
over and no body neere it Againe the woolen wheele upside downe and stood
upon its end and a spade sett on it. Stephen Greenleaf saw it and myselfe and
wife. Againe my rope tooles fell downe in the ground before my boy could
take them being sent for them and the same thing of nailes tumbled downe
from the loft into the ground and no body neere. Againe my wife and the boy
making the bed, the chest did open and shutt, the bed clothes would not be
made to ly on the bed, but fly off againe.
* l Thomas Rogers and George Hardy being at William Morse his house
affirme that the earth in the chimney corner moved and scattered on them, that
Thomas Rogers was hit with somewhat, Hardy, with an iron ladle, as is sup-
posed. Somewhat hitt William Morse a great blow, but it was so swift that
they could not tell what it was but looking downe after they heard the noyes
they saw a shoe. The boy was in the corner at first, afterward in the house.
1 Mr. Richardson on Saturday testifyeth that a board flew against his chaire
and he heard a noyes in another roome, which he supposed in all reason to be
diabolicall.
i John Dole saw a large fire stick of candle wood to fall downe, a stone, a fire
brand, and these things he saw not whence they came, till they fell downe by
him.
1 Elizabeth Titcomb aifirmeth that Powell sayd that he could find out the
witch by his learning1, if he had another scholar with him.
1 John Emerson amrmeth that Powell sayd he was brought up under Norwood
and it was judged by the people there that Norwood studied the black art.'
In another paper entitled * a farther testimony of William Morse
and his wife,' he states that ; we saw a keeler of bread turn over —
a chair did often bow to me and rise up againe — the chamber door
did violently fly together and the bed did move to and fro and not
any body neer them.'
He also states that the cellar door did violently fly down and a
drum rolled over it — his ' barn door was unpinned four times, and
going to shut the doore, the boy being with me, the pin (as I did
judge) coming downe out of the aire did fall down neer to me.'
1 Againe Caleb Powell came in as before and seeing our spirits very low by
the sense of our great afflictions, began to bemoane our condition and sayd that
he was troubled for our affliction, and sayd that he eyed the boy, and drawed
neere to us with great compassion, poore old man, poore old woman, this boy is
the occasion of your griefe, for he does these things and hath caused his good
old grandmother to be counted a witch. Then sayd I, how can all these things
be done by him ? Then sayd he although he may not have done all. yet most
of them, for this boy is a young rogue, a vile rogue. I have watched him and
see him do things as to come up and downe.
1 Caleb Powell also said he had understanding in Astrology and Astronomy
and knew the working of spirits, some in one country and some in another, and
looking on the boy said you young rogue to begin so soone. Goodman Morse,
if you be willing to let mee have the boy, I will undertake you' shall be freed
from any trouble of this kind while he is with me. I was very unwilling at
the first, and my wife, but by often urging me to, and when he told me whither
and in what employment and company he should goe, I did consent to it and
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 133
we have been freed from any trouble of this kind ever since that promise made
on Monday night last till this time being Friday afternoone.'
After enumerating a great variety of marvellous exploits, such as
' hearing a great noyes in the other roome,' — ' his chaire would not
stand still but ready to throw me backward,' — * my cap almost taken
off my head three times,' — i a great blow in my poll,' — ' the catt
thrown at my wife and thrown at us five times, the lamp standing
by us on a chest, was beaten downe,' and so forth, he thus con-
cludes :
1 Againe a great noyes a great while very dreadful. Againe in the morning
a great stone being six pounds weight did remove from place to place. We
saw it. Two spoones throwed off the table and presently the table throwed
downe, and being minded to write, my ink home was hid from me, which I
found covered with a rag and my pen quite gone. I made a new pen and
while I was writing, one eare of corne hitt me in the face and fire sticks and
stones and throwed at me, and my pen brought to me. While I was
writing with my new pen, my ink-home taken away. Againe my specticles
thrown from the table, and throwne almost into the fire by me, my wife and
the boy. Againe my booke of all my accounts throwne into the fire and had
been burnt presently, if I had not taken it up. Againe boards taken of a tub
and sett upright by themselves, and my paper, do what I could, I could hardly
keep it, while T was writing this relation. Presently before I could dry my
writing, a monmouth hat rubbed along it. but I held it so fast that it did blot
but some of it. My wife and I being much afraid that I should not preserve it
for the publick use, we did think best to lay it in the bible and it lay safe that
night. Againe the next [night] I would lay it there againe, but in the morning
it was not to be found, the bag hanged downe empty, but after was found in a
box alone. Againe while I was writing this morning I was forced to forbeare
writing any more, I was so disturbed with so many things constantly thrown at
me.
This relation taken December eighth, 1679.'
On the court records I find nothing more concerning Elizabeth
Morse. From an essay on witchcraft, by the reverend John Hale,
of Beverly, and published in the year 1697, I make the following
extracts.
1 She [Elizabeth Morse] being reprieved was carried to her own home and
her husband (who was esteemed a sincere and understanding Christian by those
that knew him) desired some neighbour ministers, of whom I was one, to dis-
course his wife, which we did, and her discourse was very Christian, and still
pleaded her innocence as to that, which was laid to her charge. We did not
esteem it prudence for us to pass any definitive sentence upon one under her
circumstances, yet we inclined to the more charitable side. In her last sickness
she was in much trouble and darkness of spirit, which occasioned a judicious
friend to examine her strictly, whether she had been guilty of witchcraft, but
she said no, but the ground of her trouble was some impatient and passionate
^ speeches and actions of her while in prison upon the account of her suffering
'wrongfully, whereby she had provoked the Lord by putting contempt upon his
word. And in fine she sought her pardon and comfort from God in Christ and
dyed so far as I understand, praying to. and resting upon, God in Christ for
salvation.'
It was owing, we believe, to the firmness of governor Bradstreet,
that the life of Elizabeth Morse was saved, and the town of New-
134
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
bury thus prevented from offering the first victim, in Essex county,
to that lamentable spirit of delusion, which twelve years after left so
dark a stain on its annals.
The following is a view of the house occupied by William
Morse and family, and which, in the language of the excessively
credulous Cotton Mather, ' was so infested with demons ' in 1679,
and where, ' before the devil was chained up, the invisible hand did
begin to put forth an astonishing visibility!' The house is still
standing at the corner of Market street, opposite to saint Paul's
church. The lot on which it stands was granted to William Morse
in 1645, but in what year he erected it, no record informs us ; but
from all that I can ascertain, the house, or at least a part of it, must
have been erected soon after the lot was granted.
March 8th. The town granted the petition of John Badger for
4 two rods of land over against his house to set up a mill to make
oatmeal.' This mill was kept in operation till 1810. The last
proprietor was Mr. Nicholas Lunt, who, between 1763 and 1810,
manufactured thirty-seven thousand, five hundred and sixty bushels
of oatmeal.
March 8th. < The selectmen (hearing that Jeremy Goodridge
and his family was in a suffering condition) sent up Joseph Pike to
know how the case stood with him, and upon his inquirie Jeremy
Goodridge told him he was in a way to get a house of his owne
and for provision he was in a way also to provide for himselfe, for
he had corne paid for, which he hoped he should have. And Joseph
Pike told him if he was like to suffer he should come and acquaint
the selectmen with it and they would make him supply.' ^
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 135
'August 29th. James Merrick chosen sexton, and to have three
pounds and ten shillings a year for his service.' #
' October 12th. It was voted that whereas the scholars are so few
that such as come to learne English shall pay three pence a week
for their schooling.' ^
October 19lh. The town voted to impower the selectmen to
petition the general court to grant Mr. Woodbridge magi strati cal
power. In their petition they say, among many other things, ' by
reason of the largeness of the towne and frequent concourse of
vessels to trade among us, they wish to have Mr. Woodbridge, as
he is the fittest and most able for such a work in this place.'
'November 28th. The town voted that henceforth the general
towne meeting should be the first Tuesday in March.' *
1682-
Early this year, a small baptist church was formed in Newbury,
as appears from the following extract from the records of the first
baptist church in Boston.
' February 6th, 1681 -2. [It was] agreed upon a church meeting
that we the church at Boston have assented unto the settling of the
church at Newbury.'
The persons who formed this church, were, probably, George
Little and Philip Squire, who united with the baptist church in
Boston in 1676, Nathaniel Cheney, William Sayer and wife,
Benjamin Morse and wife, Mr. Edward Woodman and wife, John
Sayer, and Abel Merrill, all of whom became members of the same
church in 1681. All these were residents in Newbury at that time.
This comprises all the information that I can find on the subject.
Among the papers of George Little, above-mentioned, the fol-
lowing petition, in the elegant handwriting of William Chandler,
is still to be seen. It has neither date nor signature, but was
probably written between the years 1661 and this year. The just-
ness of the sentiments, and the beauty of the style, warrant the
insertion of it here.
* To the honored generall court.
1 Whereas wee have these many yeares bin preserved by the good providence
of God under a peaceable government in this wildemesse and many worthy
things have by you bin donne unto and for this people, which we acknowledge
with all thankfulnesse, notwithstanding, may it please you to take notice of
some greevance of many of the people of God in this country which lieth on
their spirits, respecting some streightnes and streightening of yt Christian liberty
which wee think ought to be allowed unto all Christians houlding the founda-
tion and walking orderly, though of different perswations, namely, to worship
God according to their owne judgement and consciences without being
restrained to the judgements of others by human laws ; and forasmuch as our
gratious king is pleased in his letter f to declare (as wee apprehend) that a prin-
cipall end of this plantation granted is yt liberty of conscience may bee heere
* Town records. t September, 1661.
136 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
enjoyed. Wee hope therefore it will be noe griefe of mind to you to consider
of it, and to repeale such lawes as are a hinderance or restraining in any respect
to ye people of God either in their joining together in church fellowship or
exercising in the ordinances of God accordinge to ye pure gospel rule. Our
humble petition is that all such laws, as occasion or cause any such streightnes,
restraint or hinderance may be repealed, and that such Christian liberty may
bee allowed and confirmed, the which wee believe will tend much to ye glory
of God in ye peace and settlement of his people heere. And soe shall wee
pray for your peace and remaine (as in duty wee are bound) your faithful and
humble petitioners.7
< March 22d. The selectmen agreed with William Bolton to keep
the dry herd and to come upon the first day of May and fetch the
cattle and drive them up into the upper commons^ and so forth and
William Bolton is to have paid him by the owners of the cattle
sixpence a head to be paid in malt or Indian corne.'
' And he is to burrie the woods and to make up the fiatts' fence
and for that he shall be paid fourteen shillings.' f
' At a legall meeting of the towne April nineteenth 1682.
1 There was voted to go to Ipswich to subscribe according to
court order about Mr. Mason's clayme, captain Daniel Pierce, Mr.
Richard Dummer, sergeant [Tristram] Coffin, sergeant [Caleb]
Moody, Mr. John Woodbridge, Mr. Henry Sewall, Nicholas Noyes.'
In October, the general court renewed the license of Hugh March
to keep an ' ordinary.' In his petition to the court, he states, that
4 the town of Newbury some years since were destitute of an ordi-
nary and could not persuade any person to keep it. For want of
an ordinary they were twice fined by the county and would have
been fined a third time had I not undertaken it. It cost me,' says
he, ' one hundred and twenty pounds to repair the house, and more
than four hundred pounds in building house, barn, stables and so
forth.'
March 22d. ' It was ordered that all swyne that goes upon the
cow commons shall be ringed under the penalty of twelve pence
a head and so forth and that all horses and horse kind and dry
cattle shall be cleared out of the commons and Plum island between
this and the first of May next under the penalty of two shillings a
head ' and so forth. All these were to be driven up into the upper
commons, except ' such horses that are kept for the necessary use
of their owners.' These were ( to be fettered under a like penalty,'
in case of neglect, f
From this extract, from the petition sent to the general court in
1679 by the inhabitants of Ipswich, and from other circumstances
and allusions, it is evident that large numbers of cattle and horses
were, by the inhabitants of Newbury, for many years after the first
settlement of the town, driven on to Plum island in the fall of the
year, there to spend the winter and live as they could till the spring
of the year, or turned out in the lower commons to shift for them-
selves. Tradition informs that many of the cattle, especially those
* ' The upper commons,' see March twenty-first, 1642.
t Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 137
on Plum island, became so wild, that it became necessary for their
owners to shoot them as they would other wild beasts.
As may be easily supposed, neat cattle were much smaller than
those which are kept by our farmers at the present day. At the
same time that their cattle were thus neglected, large quantities
of hay were sent to Exeter, Portsmouth, Dover, Lynn, and so forth.
March \\th. Sergeant Nathaniel Clark was appointed by the
selectmen, ' to warne Evan Morris out of the towne of Newbury.' f
In this year, March twenty-second, I find the following regula-
tions concerning sheep.
4 It was ordered that all sheep shall be kept in that part of the
commons where their owners live. The inhabitants of the old
town to keep their sheep there. The next flock to be kept from
Lob's pound* and over the mill bridge to Henry Jaques his pas-
ture. And the next flock from thence to James Smith's and over
Trotter's bridge. And the inhabitants from James Carrs to Mr.
John Sewalls and Jacob Toppans are the frog pond flock and their
range shall be the Aps swamp from James Smith to George
Marches bridge and dismal ditch and Robin's pound, and Moses
Pilsbury and the further end of the towne are to have the plaines
for their flock.' f
May VI th. i The towne voted that the selectmen shall have
power to take care that the poore may be provided for and to build
cottage or cottages for them according to their discretion and so forth.' f_
June 20th. The highway from Newbury to Andover, was this
day laid out, to ' go by James Smiths and so by George March his
farme, thence to said George's high field and from thence by
marked trees to falls river upon as straight a lyne as the ground
will admit, and so forth.' f
In April, twenty-nine men and thirty-one women were ' seated '
in five new seats in the gallery.
Mrs. Ann White had her license renewed to keep an ' ordinary.'
November 23d. i Thanksgiving appointed on account of a very
plentiful harvest'
1683.
On the fifteenth of February, the general court ordered, c that
major Sallonstall with the deputies take care to make a division of
the soldiers of Newbury into two foot companies in as equall a
manner as they can, and that captain [Daniel] Pierce and his com-
mission officers shall have the first choice, and captain Thomas
Noyes and his commission officers, the other. Consented to.' J
On February ninth, the court of assistants l order that the port
of Boston to which Charlestown is annexed, and the port of Salem,
* ' Crowdero, whom in irons bound,
Thou basely threwst into Lob's pound.' . . Hudibras.
t Town records. J General court records.
18
138 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
to which Marblehead, Beverly, Gloucester, Ipswich, Rowley, New-
bury and Salisbury are annexed, as members, shall be the lawful
ports in this colony, where ships and other vessels shall lade or un-
lade any of the plantation's enumerated goods, or other goods from
foreign parts and no where else and so forth.'
This occasioned the following petition :
( To the honored general court now sitting in Boston, the humble petition of
some of Newbury.
1 Wee humbly crave the favour that your honors would be pleased to consider
our little Zebulon and to ease us of that charge, which at present we are forced
unto by our goeing to Salem to enter our vessells and thereby are forced to stay
at least te-w days, before we can unload, besides other charges in going and
coming. That some meet person might be appointed to receive the enter of
all vessells, and to act and doe according as the law directs in that case arid we
shall be bound forever to pray for your honors.
May fifteenth, 1683.
HENRY WHEELER, THOMAS NOYES, WILLIAM NOYES,
HENRY JAQUES, JOHN KENT, WILLIAM TITCOMB,
D. DAVISON. J. DOLE, PENUEL TITCOMB.
CALEB MOODY, BENAYAH TITCOMB.
Referred to the next general court.'
By referring to the preceding year, it will be seen, that the whole
of the ' lower commons,' that is, the territory, south of Artichoke
river, was divided by the town into five distinct * ranges,' or ( sheep
walks,' which were to be occupied by five flocks of sheep, each of
which must be kept within its own prescribed limits, 'under penalty
of twelve pence a head for every sheep so disorderly ' ^ as to be
out of place night or day. Each flock was under the care of a
shepherd, hired by the owners of the sheep. From an ancient doc-
ument, found among the papers of the late deacon Nathaniel Little,
of which the following is a copy, we are enabled to ascertain the
manner, in which each company managed its concerns. The
company here alluded to, resided in the vicinity of the upper green,
and comprehended those living within the third * range.'
1 April 16th, 1683. At a legall meeting of the company, whose names are
here set down [we] have agreed that every man shall take his full turn of fold-
ing for this year in order according- as their names are set down ; and for the
next year it shall begin with that man, that had no benefit, or that had not his
whole benefit of folding upon his corn and so successively from year to year
till every man hath had that benefit of folding upon his corn or otherways in
season. And also it is agreed that every man shall bring a sufficient gate for
every score of sheep he doth bring or send to the flock belonging to this com-
pany according to the number of sheep given in for folding as witness our
hands;
RICHARD BROWN, JOHN WOOLCOTT,
MOSES GERRISH, THOMAS NOYES,'
JOSHUA MORSS, MATTH. PETTINGELL,
JONATHAN HAYNES for this year, JAMES SMITH.'
1 It is also agreed that Mr. Nois and Mr. Gerrish shall tack account of every
man's sheep, and proportion to every man his share of foulding, and to conclude
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 139
the end of foulding the fifth of November and let the first share of foulding be
the bigest, if they make any difference in every man's two shares.
DANIEL PEIRCE, PETER TOPFAN, JOSHUA MORSS.
' It is agreed that Evan Morris shall keep sheep for this year 1683 and he is
to have six shillings a week in pay, and he that have above forty in the fold
shall give him one shilling out of the whole in money, and all that are under
thirty shall pay sixpence in money a man.' l They whose sheep are kept shall
allow him his dyett besides the said six shillings per week where the sheep are
folded.'
The following is a list of the company, and number of their sheep.
Mr. Moses Gerrish, . 90 Richard Brown, ... 24
John Atkinson, ... 40 Thomas Noyes, ... 40
Cousin Pettingell, . . 14 Robert Long, .... 30
Samuel Pettingell, . . 30 James Smith, .... 44
Captain [Daniel] Peirce, 105 John Woolcot, ... 54
Joshua Morss, .... 27 John Smith, .... 12
Serjeant Trist. Coffin, 55 Widow Stickney, . . 24
Doctor [Peter] Toppan, 80 John Webster, . . . .35
441 263
441
Total, ... 704
Here we find sixteen individuals, in one neighborhood, owning
seven hundred and four sheep. How many more there were in
the remaining four flocks, we have no means of accurately ascer-
taining, but estimating the number owned by each individual in
town, to be in proportion to the tax he paid in 1685, the whole
number of sheep, owned in Newburv this year, would be five
thousand six hundred and eighty-five, a number, which is probably
not far from the truth.
As there may be some things in the preceding quotations, which
will need a little explanation, I will here furnish it from a few other
old papers, and an old account book kept by Richard Bartlet, junior.
It will be recollected that our fathers found it necessary, on account
of the wolves, to have their sheep securely folded every night
This necessity they turned to the advantage of their corn land, by
folding the sheep upon it Having set the day on which shepherd
Morris was to commence his services, which this year was the
twenty-third of April, and designated the man, who was to have
the first 'benefit of folding,' who this year was Richard Brown,
each one of the company brought to his corn land his share of the
materials, (' a gate^ for every score of sheep/) with which they set
up the pen. After remaining there the prescribed time, it was taken
down and set up on l Cousin PettingelTs ' land, and thus it passed
round from one to another, like a mug of flip at an i ordinary ' in,
* Thus, 'September ninth. 1702. John Ordway Dr. for your help in carting tw«
load of sheep gates into my field.' BarthCs account book.
140 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
olden time, each one receiving, ' upon his corn,' or corn land, < the
full benefit ' of the top dressing, which seven hundred sheep could
give. Wherever the pen was erected, there the shepherd was to
have his ' dyett,' and thus like a menagerie, or traveling circus, he
and his animals were continually in motion. At other times, and
in other places, the pen was erected on some part of the common
land, and was, after a suitable time, removed, and a crop of turnips
raised, which, in the fall, were divided pro rata among the owners
of the sheep. Turnips at that time, and for half a century after,
supplied the place of potatoes. In 1662, the price of a cord* of oak
wood, and a bushel of turnips, was the same, namely, one shilling
and sixpence. In 1702, a cord .of oak wood was three shillings, a
cord of walnut five shillings, and a bushel of turnips from one shil-
ling and sixpence to two shillings.^ From Mr. Richard Bartlet's
old journal I take the following. ' In 1676, turnips one shilling per
bushel, hemp and butter sixpence per pound. In 1687, cotton wool
was one shilling and sixpence per pound.'
The inquisitive reader will excuse the minuteness of these
details, as it gives a picture of some of the customs of our fore-
fathers, which the lapse of more than a century and a half has
either materially changed or entirely effaced.
A negro woman, named Juniper, came to Newbury this year.
She was warned out of town, but, refusing to go, the selectmen
appealed to the county court, ' to be eased of such a burthen.'
1684.
January 2d. ' At a generall legall meeting of the towne it was
proposed and voted on the affirmative, whether or no we think it
expedient and meet to divide a part of the commons, if we can
agree upon a rule to do it by.' f
A committee of fourteen persons were chosen, ' to consult and
consider about a rule.' It was also voted ' to divide the commons
above the hedge.' f J
<• January Wth. At a legall meeting of the freemen and freehold-
ers it was voted that six thousand acres of the upper common shall
be lotted out, namely, one thousand acres to the non-freeholders
and soldiers, and five thousand acres to the freeholders, to every
freeholder alike with an addition to some few men that have de-
served more and this shall not be a precedent to the future in the
ordering or dividing of any other part of the common.' f
In consequence, however, 'of some, that did manifest dissatisfac-
tion at the votes it was voted that there shall be no further proceed-
* John Knight's journal. t Town records.
f ' The hedge,' so called, was near Artichoke river, and was the dividing line between
* the lower commons,' and ' upper commons,' or ' upper woods,' as it was sometimes
called. The upper commons was appropriated for the pasturage of ' the dry herd.'
The lower commons was divided into ' cow commons, ox commons, steer commons, and
•calf commons.' The sheep pasture covered ihe same ground, but was differently divided.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 141
ing upon that vote, nor any division of the common until the free-
men and freeholders do agree who the persons shall be that deserve
any addition, and what they do deserve more than an equall share.' ^
On the subject of dividing the commons, nothing more was done
until March, 1686, when, as will be seen, the division was made.
The cause of the dissatisfaction, which existed among a large por-
tion of the inhabitants, originated in the order passed the seventh
of December, 1642, which ' declared and ordered that the persons
only abovementioned [ninety-one in all] are acknowledged to be
freeholders by the towne and to have a proportionable right in all
waste lands, commons, and rivers undisposed of and suet as by, from
or under them or their heyrs have bought, granted and purchased from
them or any of them theyr right and title thereunto and none else.' *
This order of course excluded all the other inhabitants of the town
from any right or title to any of the common lands, the river lots,
and Plum island. As early as 1680 attempts were made by the
non-freeholders to own and occupy the commons equally with the
freeholders, using language to the freeholders to this effect.
< We think it hard to be deprived of the right of commonage.
We pay according to our property as much as you for the support
of public worship, the support of schools, the repairing of the roads,
and our equal proportion of all other taxes, and some of us have
served as soldiers for your defence, and yet you have rights and
privileges, of which we are deprived.' This was at least plausible,
and after many meetings, they, in 1686, as we shall see, succeeded,
with the assistance of some of the rich freeholders, in partially
accomplishing their object, and establishing a rule, by which the
division was made.
May l'5th. At this session of the general court, Nathaniel Clarke
of Newbury was chosen naval officer for Newbury and Salisbury.
This was in accordance with the last year's petition of Newbury,
and with that of Salisbury, who at this session of the court, pre-
ferred a similar petition, stating that they ' had some small trade.'
May 31st. Honorable Nathaniel Saltonstall, of Haverhiil, thus
writes to captain Thomas Noyes of Newbury. 'In ye major gene-
ral's letter I have order also to require you, which I herein do, with
all convenient speed, to provide a flight of colours for your foot
company, ye ground field, or flight whereof is to be green with a
red cross with a white field in ye angle, according to the antient
custome of our o\vn English nation, and the English plantations in
America and our own practice in our ships and other vessels. The
number or bullets to be put into your colours for distinction, may
be left out at present without damage in the making of them.' f
Sr faile not
Your friend and servant,
N. SALTONSTALL/
* Town records. t Robert Adams's manuscripts.
142 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Thus it appears that the cross in the colors, which Endicott, at
the instigation of Roger Williams, had cut out in 1634 as a 'relique
of antichrist,' and had been laid aside for many years, was again
ordered to be inserted. The scruple, however, against its use, still
continued in many minds. ' Judge Samuel Sewall, who in 1685
was captain of the south company of militia in Boston, resigned
his commission November eleventh, 1686 on account of an order to
put the cross in the colours.' #
In his diary, under date of August twentieth, 1686, he says :
1 read tenth Jeremiah, was in great exercise about the cross to be put
into the colours, and afraid, if I should have a hand in it, whether
it may. not hinder my entrance into the Holy land.'
This year, for the first time, a list of the town debts is given in
full, from which the following extracts are taken. It is in John
Pike's handwriting.
1 To Mr. Edward Tomson for keeping school this year, . . . £30 Os Od
To Richard Herring for sweeping the meeting house, .... 2100
To Anthony Somerby for keeping the town booke, -....100
To Daniel Lunt an houre glass, 16
To John Hendrick one day at the hedg, 30
To Samuel Sawyer burning the woods in olde time, .... 40
To Mrs. White tavern expences, 524
To James Brown, watch house glass, 96
To Samuel Plummer ferriage, . . . . >• 10 0
To William Sawyer karting lime to meetting house, .... 20
To James Ordway and Jonathan Clark, twenty-eight bushels lime ISO7
From the same account it appears that the ' coullers ' for the troop
cost two pounds and fourteen shillings, and for the two foot com-
panies six pounds, six shillings, and seven pence. The whole
amount of the town tax for all purposes this year was three hund-
red and thirty-eight pounds and eighteen shillings, of which one
hundred and twenty-eight pounds, six shillings, and sixpence, was
the salary of reverend John Richardson.
November 24th. Inquest on the body of John Poore, senior.
' We judge that being in the woods and following his game, he
was bewildered, and lost himself and in his pursuit plucked off his
clothes, and scattered them some good distance one part from an-
other till he had left nothing on save his waistcoat, and drawers, and
breeches and hose and shoes.' f
1685.
February Stk. l Sabbath afternoon there was an earthquake.' J
January 17th. ' Boston harbour frozen over down to the castle,
and nine hundred men on the ice at once.' J
The following petition was sent in t6 the town of Newbury by
some of the inhabitants at the west end.
* Quarterly register, February, 1841. f County records. J Judge Sewall's diary.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 143
{ March 10th, 1684-5. To the town of Newbury the humble request of some
of the inhabitants of this lown doe sire and intreat that you would be pleased to
grant us your consent, approbation and assistance in geting some help in the
ministry amongst us, by reason that we doe live soe remote from the means,
great part of us that we cannot with any comfort or convenience come to the
publick worship of God ; neither can our families be brought up under the
means of grace as Christians ought to bee, and which is absolutely necessary
unto salvation ; therefore we will humbly crave your loving compliance with
us in this our request/
The preceding petition is the first recorded intimation, that is to
be found, that the people of the west end of the town desired to
have public worship among themselves. This was the commence-
ment of a contest, which, as we shall see, involved the whole town,
and especially the westerly part of it, in difficulties and quarrels,
which were not settled for many years, the injurious consequences
of which are even now perceptible.
April 20th. King James proclaimed king ' in the market place,
Boston, by the governor, deputy governor, eight soldiers and one
troop to guard the governor.'
This year, May twentieth, William Bolton was chosen Mo keep
the dry cattell in the upper commons above the hedge, and to take
care for ye repayring of such breaches as should be in the hedg
from time to time,' and so forth.
June 18/A. The selectmen defined the limits of the five flocks of
sheep. They were called ' the old-town flock,' 4 Henry Short's
flock,' ' captain Pierce's flock,' l the frogg pond flock,' and ' the Arte-
choak flock.'
In November the selectmen ordered the names of all the tax-
payers to be recorded, with the amount paid by each individual
toward ^Ir. Richardson's salary, which was ' forty pounds in money
and seventy pounds in other good pay.' The word 'pay' at this
time meant all kinds of grain, and so forth, and sometimes cattle
and horses. By a warrant from the state treasurer ' to the select-
men and constables of Newbury, the town was required to collect
of the inhabitants eighteen pounds, two shillings and ten pence in
money, and thirly-six pounds, five shillings and eight pence to be
paid in country pay, wheat at five shillings and sixpence, barley and
barley malt and pease at four shillings and sixpence, rye at four
shillings, Indian corn at three shillings, and oats at two shillings per
bushel, and all other things at money prices, provided no leane
cattle or horses be paid, and in case any pay money in lieu of
country pay they are to be abated one third,' and so forth.
The whole number of persons rated, was two hundred and thir-
teen, among whom are the names of eight with the title of ' Mr.,' a
mark of distinction at this time, one esquire, three captains, three
lieutenants, two ensigns, eight sergeants, three corporals, three dea-
cons, and two doctors.
144 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1686.
' January 24^/z, Sunday. So cold that the sacramental bread is
frozen pretty hard and rattles sadly into the plates.' ^
At the March meeting this year, ' it was ordered that the select-
men shall have twenty shillings apiece for the bearing of their
charges and the expence of their time about the towne buisiness
and ye commissioner to have ten shillings and what they spend
more they are to pay out of their owne estate.' f
March 16th. ' The towne being sensible of their great want of
another corne mill,' a committee of five persons was chosen ' to
view such place or places, as may be most convenient for ye setting
up of a mill.' f
' For the preservation of convenient shades for cattle and sheep
in ye home commons,' all persons were forbidden, under penalty
of twenty shillings a tree, ' apses, birches and alders excepted, to
cutt, fall, girdle or lopp any tree in any of the towne's high wayes or
in 'any of ye commons' within certain specified limits, f
i Juniper proposed for a liberty to build a cottage to dwell in
upon ye common neer frogg pond. The towne voted in the nega-
tive.'!
March 22d. ' At a legall meeting of the selectmen twenty tything
men were appointed and chosen for the year ensuing.'
' Benjamin Mors was appointed to burn the woods this year above
Artichoke river and to have for his pains ten shillings.'
Hugh March and Mrs. Ann White were licensed to keep an
* ordinary.'
' At a county court March thirtieth captain Daniel Pierce, captain
Thomas Noyes and lieutenant Stephen Greenleaf are commissioned
to be magistrates by the court, as there was no magistrate among
them,' that is, the people of Newbury. So says John Badger in his
petition.
March 23d. ' At a legall meeting of the freemen and freeholders,'
another attempt was made to divide a part of the upper commons.
Among the votes passed was one, forty-three to thirty-eight, that
* each freeholder should have twenty acres of land laid out in the
upper commons on Merrimack river and on the southwest side of
the upper commons ' and so forth, and ' it was also determined and
agreed that if this land in time to come shall be improved by fenc-
ing or otherwise the improvers of it shall pay to all public towne
charges,' and so forth.f
From this and other votes and allusions, it is evident that the
larger part of the land lying above Artichoke river, was still com-
mon, unfenced, and unimproved except for pasturage. Large
quantities of timber in this tract were granted to various individuals
to make 'long shingle,' as it was called, 'to cover houses,' for ' pales '
* Judge SewalFs diary. f Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 145
for 'clapboards/ 'for posts and rayles,' for buildings of various
kinds, and for wheelwrights and coopers' use.
In the month of April, complaints were 'made to the selectmen of
great spoyle of timber that was made in the towne's commons,
constable' Moses Pilsbury seized and delivered to Joseph Pike
twenty-one red oak trees and sixteen white oak trees at the southeast
end near Savages' rock and the westerly end of Long hill near
Merrimack river.'
J/fl/y 5th. A committee of seventeen was chosen, to 'agree upon
a meete way of dividing the commons and bring in theyr result and
conclusion to the towne,' and so forth.^
On October twentieth, the committee reported, and the ' towne
voted that the upper commons be divided in manner following,
namely, the six thousand acres, one half of them in quantity and
quality be divided among the freeholders, to every freeholder a like
share, and the other half of said commons be divided among all
such inhabitants of this towne and freeholders as have paid rates
two years last past, proportionable to w^hat each man paid by rate
to the minister's rate in the year 1685.' ^
' And that about eleven hundred acres of the lower commons be
divided according to the above method and laid out into five general
pastures and so forth, and the rest of the commons to be divided and
laid out into wood lots according to the above division and same rale.'*1
' June 19th. James Myricks house burnt down.'f
The committee, who were chosen October twenty-first, to divide
and lay out the lands, were captain Daniel Pierce, lieutenant Ste-
phen Greenleaf, serjeant John Emery, Joseph Pike, lieutenant Tris-
tram Coffin, ensign Nathaniel Clark* and Henry Short.
November 26th. The freeholders of Newbiiry met and passed
several orders before the lots were drawn. One was, that ' Indian
river should be free as far as the tide flows for the passing and re-
passing of boats and canoes. Another, that every freeholder should
draw his lot as his name is entered in the town booke.^ The free-
holders' meeting was then adjourned for half an hour to attend the
towne meeting then to be.' %•
This division of land, which the freeholders had at last agreed to
make, was one of the most important transactions in which the town
had been called to engage. It had occasioned, as we learn from a
protest on record, signed by Margaret Lowle and James Brown,
'great confusions, contentions, inconveniences, and injuries,' and
was not settled without much difficulty and opposition. On No-
vember twenty-ninth, they again met, and 'agreed that the persons
concerned in the rate division of the upper commons shall be drawne
into four companyes, then one man of each company shall draw in
the name, and for the said company, and he that draweth figure one
that company shall have theyr proportions first,' and so on. ' Then
every man's name of every company, and the names of the four
* Town records. t Sewall's journal.
19
146 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
companyes shall be putt into four several baggs, and the committee
chosen to lay out the said rate proportion shall take a paper out of
the bagg belonging to the first company, and that man's name, that
first comes to hand shall have his lott first laid out and so all the rest
successively until the whole be laid out and so for the rest of the
companyes.' ^
December 1st. The freeholders again met and voted, that ' they
would begin the division next Mr. John Gerrish's farm next Brad-
ford line,' and so forth. The lots were accordingly drawn, and the
land was laid out by ' the two lott layers, namely lieutenant Tristram
Coffin and Henry Short,' and thus this perplexing business was
finally settled, in perhaps the only way which could reconcile the
conflicting interests and opinions of the great majority of the people.
December 13th. A committee was chosen to divide eleven
hundred acres of the lower commons into five general pastures.
December 2Qth. Sir Edmund Andros came to New England.
December 21st. The committee were desired to ; measure the
old towne common and proportion it to the old towne men and
proportion the rest of the land adjacent to the rest of the inhabi-
tants in the same proportion.' 3fe
It may not here be improper to explain the difference between a
' freeholders' meeting,' a ' freemen's meeting,' and a ' town meeting.'
A man might be a freeholder and not a ' freeman,' and vice versa.
He might be a voter in town affairs, and yet neither be a freeholder
nor a freeman. A freeman was one who had taken the freeman's
oath, and which alone entitled him to vote in the nomination of
magistrates, choice of deputies, alias representatives. A freeholder
was one, who either by grant, purchase, or inheritance, was entitled
to a share in all the common and undivided lands. When any
town officers were to be chosen, or money raised by way of rate,
all the inhabitants could vote. Thus we sometimes find the expres-
sion, ' at a meeting of the freemen,' sometimes ' a meeting of the
freeholders,' or ' a meeting of the freeholders and proprietors,' or ' a
meeting of the freeholders and inhabitants,' or * a generall towne
meeting,' and sometimes ' a legall towne meeting.' These expres-
sions always indicate the nature and object of the meeting, and
were necessary, as all the transactions were recorded by the town
clerk, in the same book. In this year, two sets of books began to
be kept, one for the town, and one for the proprietors, and were
kept separate till the final settlement of the proprietors' concerns, in
the sale of' Plum island in 1827. To the division of the land in
the upper commons, on the plan proposed, many were opposed,
some from principle, and some from interest. The division was at
last settled by a compromise, which evinced a good deal of man-
agement, quieting the non-freeholder, and, at the same time, enrich-
ing the wealthy freeholder at the expense of the poorer freeholder.
That a rich freeholder would obtain a larger share by consenting
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 147
that the rate-paying non-freeholders should share with him accord-
ing to ' the rule/ is evident. For example, were one hundred and
thirteen acres of land to be divided among the freeholders alone,
each would have an acre ; but were the same amount to be divided,
one half among the freeholders, and the other half among the free-
holders and rate payers, a freeholder would have half an acre on
the first division, and if he paid a sixteen shillings tax, he would
obtain eight times as much on the other half as a freeholder who
only paid a two shillings tax.
November 21st. ' The three deacons namely, deacon Nicholas
Noyes, deacon Robert Long and deacon Tristram Coffin were at
the request of the selectmen, chosen standing overseers of the poore
for the town of Newbury.'
December 1st. ' Captain Daniel Pierce and captain Stephen
Greenleaf senior, were added to the deacons as overseers of the
poor, and that any three of them shall have power to make a valid
act.' # The town also engaged ' to ratify and confirm whatsoever
bargain the overseers of the poore shall make, provided alwayes
that they do not engage money.' *
December 13th. The town empowered a committee l to lay out
a convenient. high way of such breadth as they shah1 see meet thro'
the plaines to sergeant Emery's mill.' *
' The first range of lots for the freeholders began at sergeant John
Emery's farm [near Artichoke river] and so ran up Mem mack river
unto Air. John Gerrish's farm [near or adjoining to Bradford.']
The committee, consisting of Mr. Daniel Pierce, with Tristram
Coffin, and Henry Short, lot-layers, laid out a road ' four rods wide
and no more from Artichoke river to Lowell's brook [now Brown's
spring] and thence to Bradford line.' *
Joseph Dudley was appointed president of Massachusetts,
Plymouth, New Hampshfre, and Maine, with a council, but no
house of representatives. In six months he \vas superseded by
sir Edmund Andros. He was very arbitrary and oppressive. Five
only of the councillors joined with governor Andros in his
measures ; the greater part refusing to act with him.
1687.
January 5th, 1687. A committee was appointed < to treat with
Peter Cheney about setting up a corne mill and a fulling mill upon
the Falls river, and to treat with William Moody concerning his
Indian purchase and the quantity of land he claims thereby,' # and
so forth.
January 8th. Town granted Mr. [D.] Davison a ' piece of
ground twenty foot wide next Mr. Richard Dole's ware house grant
and thirty-five foot long towards doctor Dole's house,' and laid it
out second of April.
* Town records.
148 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Town sent a petition to sir Edmund Andros, knight, praying
him to appoint and empower some man or men to take the
acknowledgment of deeds, and give oaths, and a clerk to issue
i forth all needful writs and warrants, there being not one of your
excellencys council within twenty miles.'
February 15/A, 1687. Peter Cheney proposed to ' build and
maintaine a good sufficient grist or corn mill within two years, and
a fulling mill within three yeares at ye upper falls, and to full ye
towne's cloth on the same terms that Mr. John Pearson doth full
cloth, and resign up his interest in Little river on condition that the
town give him fifty acres of land joyning to Falls' river,' ^ and so
forth, which the town granted.
March 28th. The town granted to eleven young men, i liberty to
build a pew in the hindmost seat in the gallery, that is before the
pulpit.' #
October ISth. The committee chosen by the .town, ' agreed with
Mr. Seth Shove to be ye lattin Schoolmaster for ye town of New-
bury for the present year.'
April 6th. ' A warrant was granted to warne out of ye towne
Win. Nisbett, Edw. Badger and one David that lives at Mr.
Thurlos.' *
' This year the worms did much mischief in the summer, eating
up trees, grass as -though they had been mown, leaving weeds.' f
October 25th. A new ferry across the Merrimac was granted
by sir Edmund Andros, to captain John March, and was the first
ferry granted within the limits of what is now Newburyport. It
was situated just, where it is now. The first was granted at Carr's
island, and, till this year, had monopolized the whole travel of the
country, from the mouth of the river to Amesbury ferry. This
grant was in consequence of a petition sent by captain March,
September twenty-third, 1687. James Carr remonstrated against
it, stating that * the first bridge at Carr's island cost more than three
hundred pounds, that the ferry at George Carr's death was worth
near four hundred pounds and that the injury to him by March's
ferry was fifty or sixty pounds a year.' Mr. March, in a letter to the
town of Salisbury, offered to be at one half of the expense of mak-
ing their part of the road passable to the ferry.
During the vacation of the charter, and the tyrannical adminis-
tration of Andros, it was asserted that the people had no title to
their lands. The following letter from Mr. Robert Mason, who, in
consequence of a grant to his father from the council of Plymouth,
before the settlement of Massachusetts, claimed all the land from
Naumkeag river, [Salem,] to Merrimac, will be read with interest.
Mason was one of Andres's council, and resided at Portsmouth,
New Hampshire.
* Town records. t Se wall's journal.
HISTOKY OF NEWBURY. 149
1 Great Island, August 13th, 1687.
' To his excellency Edmund Andres,
'Sir,
1 Your excellency may please to remember I proposed some persons as
fitting to serve his majesty in the town of Newbury both in civil and military
affairs. In my return to this place I had discourse with several persons, the
most considerable of that town, that by want of justices of the peace, nothing
hath been done at the meeting of thos'e inhabitants for settling the rates and
other concerns of the publick. Mr. Woodbridge. one of the justices is very an-
cient and crazy and seldom goes abroad. Mr. Dummer the other justice lives
six miles from the place and therefore very unfit for that servic.e for the town of
Newbury, besides his other qualites in not being of the loyal party as he ought
to be. I doe therefore intreat of your excellency, that in the commission of the
peace my two friends, Daniel Pierce and Nathaniel Clarke may be put, which I
assure myself will be for his majesty's service and to your excellency's satisfac-
tion. There are no military commissions sent to that place and therefore I doe
entreat your excellency's favour that commissions be sent these following per-
sons. Daniel Davison, captain of horse for Newbury and Rowley. Stephen
Greenleaf junior lieutenant. George March cornet. Of the first company
Thomas Noyes captain, Stephen Greenleaf senior lieutenant, James Noyes
ensign. Of the second company Nathaniel Clarke captain, John March lieuten-
ant, Moses Gerrish ensign. I shall desire your excellency that Mr. Davison
may have his commission first for raising the troops, there being many young
men, that will list themselves under him. if not before listed by the captain's
foot. He is very well beloved and I presume will have the completest troops
in the country.
1 1 shall be extream glad to heare of my good lady's safe arrival, which so
soon as I shall understand, I will make a speedy journey to Boston to kiss her
hands. I came last night to this place. / hope all things will go easy so that I
may have no occasion of using the former severities of the law against my tenants.
I had rather see them rich than poor. I humbly kiss your excellency's hands
and am Your excellency's servant
ROBERT MASON.'
1688.
January 26th. John Woodbridge, esquire, and eight others, sent
in a written prostestation ' against the injurious and unreasonable
dealing of some invading and disposing of the town's commons,
which (as they suppose) they have no right nor authority to do,'
and so forth, and ' demanded that whatsoever is already done to the
dividing and impropriating our commons may be made void and
nulled,' and so forth.
The town granted * their interest in the stream of the little river
to the mouth of it where it vents into the great river to Henry Short
to build a grist mill upon for the towne's use, provided he build it
within one year, and if he do not build within one year he is to pay
five pounds and the towne to have theyr interest in the stream
againe.' *
This summer, the people of Massachusetts, in addition to the
grievances, which they suffered under the tyrannical administration
of sir Edmund Andros, were again, after a twelve years' respite,
afflicted with the horrors of an Indian war. It was called Castine's
war from the baron de saint Castine, a Frenchman, who had rnar-
* Town records.
150 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
ried a daughter of Madochawando, the Penobscot chief, and whose
house, in his absence, had been plundered by the English. The
Canadian French also united with the Indians in their depredations,
which were continued at intervals till 1698. Notwithstanding all
the difficulties, under which the people labored, they were, in gene-
ral, very patient under the ' new government.' ^ There were, how-
ever, a few exceptions. ' One John Gould was tried, convicted
and fined fifty pounds for treasonable words.' The reverend John
Wise and Mr. John Appleton, of Ipswich, were imprisoned for
remonstrating against the taxes as a heavy grievance.^
Caleb Moody of Newbury was imprisoned and Joseph Bayley
put under bonds of two hundred pounds to answer for an alleged
offence, which is best related in Moody' s own words.
1 Caleb Moody of Newbury aged fifty-two years testifyelh that some time in
January 1688 Joseph. Baylie of ye same towne gave me a paper, which he told
me he had taken up in the king's highway, the title of it was,
1 New England alarmed,
To -rise and be armed,
Let not papist you charme,
I mean you no harme,' and so forth.
1 The purport of the paper was to give notice to the people of the danger they
were in, being under the sad circumstances of an arbitrary government, sir Ed-
mund Andros having about one thousand of our souldiers, as 'I was informed,
prest out of the Massachusetts colony and carried with him to the eastward
under pretence of destroying our enemy Indians (although not one Indian killed
by them that I heard of at that time.) We had no watching nor warding at our
towne by order of those yt sir Edmund put in command there. Justice Wood-
bridge and Justice Epps sent me a warrant to bring a paper that was in my
hands, which I did, and told them I received the paper from Joseph Baylie, who
owned it to them, whereupon I was cleared, and they bound said Joseph Baylie
in a bond of two hundred pounds to answer it at Salem court ye fifth of March
following and they took me for his bondsman. Notwithstanding this, about a
week after the said justices by a warrant brought me before them and then
committed me to Salem prison (though I proffered ym bayle) they would not
take it but I was to be safely kept to answer what should be charged against me
upon the king's account for publishing a scandalous and seditious lybell. After
I had been in prison a whole week then judge Palmer and Mr. Grayham, ye
king's attorney came to Salem and examined me and confined me to close im-
prisonment ordering that neither my friends, or acquaintance nor fellow-prisoners
to come to me, which continued for about a week's time, and then judge P. and
Mr. G. came againe, and said G. sent for me, and after some discourse he refused
any bayle, but committed me to close prison, and after, Charles Redford, the high
sheriff, came to prison and told Joseph Baylie and myself that he had orders to
examine us, and to put a new mittimus upon us and charge us with treason, and
the time came when the court should have sent to try us and there was no court.
Afterwards there came news of ye happy arrival and good success of ye prince
of Orange, now king of England, and then by petitioning I got bayle. The
time of my imprisonment was about five weeks, and I doe judge my dammage
one way and another was about forty pounds.
Boston New England, January ninth, 1689-90. 'f
£ Caleb Moody appeared personally January ninth, 1689-90 and gave evidence
upon oath of the truth of the above written before me
SAMUEL APPLETON.
Assistant for ye colony of ye Massachusetts
bay in New England.'
* Hutchinson. t Colonial files.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 151
The ' one thousand souldiers,' mentioned by Moody in the pre-
ceding statement, were in fact only seven or eight hundred, whom
governor Andros had impressed, and marched at their head in the
eastern country in November, a ' measure universally condemned,'
as ' not an Indian was killed,' and ' many of the sokliers died with
hardships.' The names of those impressed by his order from New-
bury, November, 1688, were, captain John March, Charles Stuart,
Benjamin Goodridge, William Goodridge, John Cram, Joseph
Short, Edward Goodwin.
In the January following, Giles Mills, Nicholas Cheney, Jacob
Parker, John Richards, and Andrew Stickney, were impressed.
Joseph Moring, a soldier, in his will, dated November fifth, 1688,
says, ' I give to the ' new town ' in Newbury twenty pounds to help
build a meeting house, if they do build one, if they do not build one,
then I give twenty pounds towards rebuilding or repairing the
meeting-house that is now standing in Newbury.'
In Richard Bartlet's old account book I find, in 1689, the follow-
ing. * Bought boards and shingles and nails for the meeting house.'
The west parish meeting-house was therefore built in 1689.
1689.
For the last three years, there is nothing of interest to be found on
the town records. The reason of this, probably, is^ that nothing of
consequence was done. Under the tyrannical and arbitrary govern-
ment of Andros, the people were kept under great restraint.
4 Every town was suffered to meet once a year to choose their
officers, but all meetings at other times or for other purposes, were
strictly forbidden.' ^
The body of the people, who had borne with great patience the
tyranny of Andros's administration, were determined to bear it no
longer. On Thursday, the eighteenth of April, the inhabitants of
Boston and the vicinity ' seized and confined the governor and such
of the council, as had been most active, and other obnoxious per-
sons and reinstated the old magistrates.' ^ Some went from New-
bury. Among them was Samuel Bartlet, a staunch friend of lib-
erty, a very facetious but decided man. ' He was a basket maker,
fidler and farmer. On the first intimation of any difficulty, he
armed himself, mounted his horse, and so rapid, it is said, was his
flight to Boston, that his long rusty sword, trailing on the ground,
left, as it came in contact with the stones in the road, a stream of
fire all the way. He arrived in season to assist in imprisoning the
governor.' f
The following is the first article on the records for this year.
1 May 6th. The committee of safety in Boston having desired
us to send a man or men for consulting with them what may be
* Hutchinson.
t Interleaved almanacs of the late honorable Bailey Bartlet, esquire, Haverhill.
152 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
best for the conservation of the peace of the country. Our inhabi-
tants being met this sixth day of May 1689 have chosen captain
Thomas Noyes and lieutenant Stephen Greenleaf senior for the
end aforesaid,' and on May twentieth the inhabitants of the town
met for consultation, and among other things declared that being ' in
full expectation of enlargement of privilege and liberty of choyce for
the future,' they * give their consent to the freemen of the towne to
make choyce of the governor, deputy governor, and assistants to be
our lawful authority.' It was therefore voted * by the lowne and by
the freemen,' with only two dissenting votes, that the charter should
be reassumed, though nothing had then been heard from England.
On May twenty-sixth, news arrived at Boston that William and
Mary had been proclaimed king and queen of England. * This,'
says Hutchinson, ' was the most joyful news ever received in New
England.'
July \st. Town desired ' for the present exigence to have all the
military officers, that were in commission May twelfth 1686,' to be
reinstated.
4 Also we desire and empower the said committee of militia to
appoint so many houses to be fortified among us as they shall see
cause and to proportion so many families to each fortification ac-
cording to theyr discretion.'
August 22d. ' Brig Merrimack of Newbury, captain John Kent,
was captured by pirates in Martin Vineyard sound.'
August 24:th. The governor and council and representatives
desired the town of Newbury to raise a ' subscription for a loan of
money, goods and provisions for the carrying on of the Indian war.'
The town, ' in answer thereunto,' say, ' it is our desire to maintaine
ye soldiers of our own towne as to provision and wages.' %•
September 23d. Samuel Sayer was licensed by the court to sell
victuals and drink, living conveniently by the road to Bradford and
Haverhill.'
December 25th. Peter Cheney was allowed one year longer to
finish his fulling mill.
December 26th. l The towne granted all theyr right, title and
interest in the stream of the little river to Henry Short so long as
he shall build and maintaine a sufficient corne mill,' and so forth.
Sometime this year, the first meeting-house in the west end of
the town was erected. It was about thirty feet square, and was
built at the cost and charge of sixteen persons. It stood on what
is called ' the plains.'
1690.
February 25th. 'Divers of the inhabitants of the new towne
having made a proposition unto ye towne in order to their calling
of a minister amongst them,
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 153
1 The towne considering the great weight of such a thing and yt
such an aflfayre may be duly considered the towne have desired [a
committee of eight persons] to advise with ye reverend Mr.
Richardson about the said proposition and to draw up such pro-
posals to the next meeting of the towne as they shall think may
best conduce to peace that the towne may consider farther of it.' ^
March 3fl?. The committee waited on INIr. Richardson, who
declined giving ' advice on the one side or the other, knowing he
must of necessity give offence.' The committee reported, 'that
considering the times as troublesome, and the towne being so much
behind with Mr. Richardson's salary, the farmers and the neck
men being under greater disadvantages upon many accounts do
desire and expect, if such a thing be granted that they should have
the same privilege to provide for themselves, which we think can-
not conduce to peace, therefore desire the new towne to rest satis-
fied for the present.' ^
1 March 1690. The committee of Newbury appoint the house of
Mr. Abraham Merrill to be a garrison house and request him with
all convenient speed to fortify his house.
DANIEL PIERCE Captain.1
March \\tli. At this meeting, fifteen men, belonging to the
west end of the town, after stating that ' it was well known how
far they had proceeded as to a meeting house,' left two propositions
with the town, one that the town would agree to support two min-
isters, so that one could preach ' at the west meeting house,' or that
the town would consent to have the ' ministry amongst them upon
their own charge and that the town would lovingly agree upon a
dividing iine between them that so they might know what families
may now belong to the west meeting house,' and so forth.
This year, Isaac Morrill, a native of New Jersey, came to New-
bury, to entice Indians and negroes to leave their masters and go
with him, saying that the English should be cut off, and the negroes
should be free. He was arrested May twenty-ninth, 1690, and sent to
Ipswich for trial. What was the result of his examination, I have
not ascertained. / Their intention was to take a vessel out of the dock
at Newbury, and go for Canada and join the French against the
English, and come down upon the backside of the country and save
none but the negroes and Indians. They intended to come with
four or five hundred Indians, and three hundred Canadians, between
Haverhill and Amesbury, over Merrimac river, near ' Indian river
by Archelaus' hill on the backside of John Emery's meadow and
destroy, and then they might easily destroy such small towns as
Haverhill and Amesbury. Morrill said that he had viewed all the
garrisons in the country and that captain Gerrish's was the
strongest.' f
The persons implicated in this scheme to obtain their inalienable
* Town records. t Quarterly court files.
20
154 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
rights, were James, a negro slave of Mr. R. Dole, and Joseph,
Indian slave of Mr. Moody.
George Major, a Jersey man, was also implicated. How many
slaves, Indian and African, there were at this time in Newbury, we
have no means of ascertaining. The number was probably small,
as governor Bradstreet, in a letter dated May nineteenth, 1680, to
the lords of the privy council, says among other things, ' now and
then two or three negroes are brought hither from Barbadoes. In
our government [Massachusetts] about one hundred and twenty in
all.'
Fifteen soldiers were sent from Newbury to Salisbury, Amesbu-
ry, and Haverhill, April twelfth.
April %Sth. Sir William Phipps, with a fleet of eight small ves-
sels, sailed against Port Royal, [now Annapolis,] which he took
* with little or no resistance,' and returned the thirtieth of May. His
success encouraged the court to attempt the acquisition of Canada,
which after much expense and loss of men proved a total failure,
which occasioned so great an expense as to induce the government
to issue bills of credit from two shillings to ten pounds' denomina-
tion. The soldiers were great sufferers by this paper money, the
first seen in New England.
The situation of Newbury during the present Indian war may be
in part ascertained by the following order, which is similar to the
one passed in 1638.
August "7th. c- These are in his majesty's name to require all the soldiers be-
longing to this towne to bring their arms and ammunition to ye meeting house
evary saboth day and at all other publick meetings, and also they ar required to
carry their arms and ammunition with them into meadows and places, where
they worke, and if any man doe refuse or neglect his dewty as above expressed
he shal pay five shillings for every such neglect. *
DANIEL PIERCE, captain. JONA. MOORES, lieutenant,
THOMAS NOTES, captain, JACOB TOPPAN, ensign,
STEPH. GREENLEAF, captain, HENRY SOMERBY.'
July 15th. ' John March is appointed a captain of one of the
companies for the Canada expedition, and ordered to enlist a com-
pany under him.'
The following letter from Nathaniel Saltonstall, esquire', may not
be uninteresting. It is from Robert Adams's manuscripts.
1 Haverhill August 20th} 1690.
1 Captain Noyes,
1 After you were gone being thoughtfull how yourself and the rest
with you last night would get home, I began to have some hopes concerning
you, because I did not believe your dinners would ly upon your stomachs so as
to indispose you in riding unless in vexation for the want of one • there being a
common saying ; a man after a good dinner is most airy and most agile and
readie for riding or such kind of imployments.
1 James Sanders just now promised me to call for this letter, which incloses
* Robert Adams's manuscripts.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 155
ye papers, yt are to be improved ye next lecture day about Joseph Bayley and
John Chase.
I Fail not of giving me a true account of your management of ye matter, and
now it comes just into my mind to propose to you for your farther proceeding ;
and if you act accordingly hereto it shall be owned by me notwithstanding the
issue made : which will without doubt fully be known to all your people. It is
this, if ye said Joseph or John do, carry it submissively and give you thereby
ground to hope that their confession was from ye heart, which I for some reason
account so to be, you may tell them you will venture to stop their publique
appearance on ye lecture day ; which if they afterward run into ye like evils
will be a great aggravation of their fault.
I 1 will tell you. Formerly when I had prosecuted several for offences in ye
field at court too, and judgment given for their open confession at ye head of ye
company, I did abate it and I found I did not offend ye court, but engaged ye
person to civility and thankfulness.
1 Let me have a punctual return yt I may know what I have to do.
1 If they or either of them be insolent let not them or him, yt is so, be abated
of ye full extent of what is written in ye judgment.
1 Give a little assistance to James Sanders to obtain my lettre, which brother
Woodbridge writes me word he sent long since by major Davison. I suppose it
was at yt time when - Clark had ye to gett a canonical auricular con-
fessor for himself and family.
1 Present my service to ye lady Noyes, and ye major the C**** Mr Rich-
ardson, and any one else, who will send me a cheap freight of good hay, I
care not how cheap. Believe it, sir, and yt I am your servant.
N. SALTONSTALL.'
October. < Captain Stephen Greenleaf, lieutenant James Smith,
ensign William Longfellow serjeant Increase Pilsbury, William
Mitchell, Jabez Musgrave of Newbury and four more were cast
away and drowned at Cape Breton.' #
Of Jabez Musgrave, mentioned above, Mather, in his Remarka-
ables, thus speaks in 1684.
' Remarkable also was that which happened to Jabez Musgrave
of Newbury, who being shot by an Indian [in 1676] the bullet en-
tered in at his ear and went out at his eye on the other side of his
head, yet the man was preserved from death yea and still is in the
land of the living.'
Musgrave was one of the sixteen soldiers from Newbury, who
volunteered to go in this disastrous expedition.
This year, major Robert Pike, of Salisbury, thus writes :
* Captain Pierce, captain Noyes, captain Greenleaf, and lieuten-
ant Moores with the rest of the gentlemen of Newbury, whose
assistance next under God was the means of the preservation of our
towns of Salisbury and Amesbury in the day of our distress by
the assaults of the enemy.
' First I give you my hearty thanks for your readiness to adven-
ture yourselves in that service, as always you have been ready to
do and so forth.
* Second, to request the like favour of you upon the like occasion,
if any such be offered.
1 Third, that no duntfi which is common pay in the country, may
* Judge Sewall's diary. f ' I hae a guid braid sword,
I '11 take dunt s frae naebody.' Burns.
156 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
hinder any advised man from doing thayr duty, which is the advice
that I give to myself, which you cannot but think have and shall have
as much dunt as I can bear,' and so forth.
Captain John March and Mrs. Ann White were this year licensed
as innholders.
This year, Essex soldiers were divided into three regiments.
1691.
March 10th. The selectmen were desired to take care that per-
sons infected with the small pox should be confined, and that their
' families should not suffer, if they were themselves unable.' ^
May 13th. * The town voted that from this time forward the
moderator shall be chosen by papers, and that it shall not be in the
po*wer of any moderator to adjourn a towne meeting but by vote of
the towne.' %•
' The town grants Mr. Seth Shove thirty pounds for the year
ensuing, provided he will be our schoolmaster and so forth as fol-
io weth namely to teach readers free, Latin scholars vsix pence per
week, writers and cypherers fourpence per week, to keep the school
one third part of the year at the middle of the new towne, one third
part at the school house, and the other third part about middle way
between the meeting house and oldtown ferry.' ^
June 21st. The officers of the two militia companies issued an
order to Henry Short, requiring him * in his majesties name to take
care of his watch every night.' They were fifty-one in all. ' They
are alike required to come to your house to take their charge. You
are to order them to go to George Little's garrison, and there one of
them is to keep his post all the night. The rest are to walk three
in a night to the mill bridge, and from thence to Anthony Morse's
house and elsewhere according to your direction. The number of
men belonging to your care and charge are under express,' and so
forth, and so forth.
July Hth. i The towne understanding that several of the inhab-
itants of new towne are about calling of Mr. [Edward] Tompson
.to be their minister, the towne did by vote manifest their dislike
against it, or against any other minister, whom they should call,
until ye church and towne are agreed upon it, looking upon such a
thing to be an intrusion upon ye church and towne.'
August 21st. The commissioner with the selectmen states the
number of ratable polls to be two hundred and fifty.
October. Several of the inhabitants of the west end of the town
petitioned the general court * to be established a people by them-
selves for the maintenance of the ministry among them.'
December. The town did by vote manifest themselves 'against
the new town having their petition granted,' and chose a committee
to present a counter petition to the general court.
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 157
This year Newbury was allowed by the general court to have
another house of entertainment
1692.
In February of this year, commenced the witchcraft delusion,
which, for a long time, occasioned so much terror, distress, and
suffering, in several towns in Massachusetts. It originated in Salem
village, now Danvers, in the family of the reverend Samuel Parris,
whose * daughter and niece, girls of ten or eleven years of age, and
two other girls in the neighborhood, began to act very strangely,
appeared to fall into fits, would creep into holes, under benches and
chairs,' put themselves into odd postures, and, as the physicians who
examined them could give no satisfactory name to their apparent
disorder, and probably feeling that he must say something, one of
them very gravely pronounced them bewitched. From this begin-
ning, originating in fraud and imposture, and continued by the
grossest superstition and ignorance, combined with great fear, for
no one was safe, arose those accusations and l prosecutions of the
people, under the notion of witches, whereby twenty suffered as
evil doers, (besides those that died in prison,) about ten more
condemned, a hundred imprisoned, and about two hundred more
accused, and the country generally in fears, when it would come
then* turn to be accused.' * In the language of the reverend Charles
W. Upham, < all the securities of society were dissolved. Every
man's life was at the mercy of every other man. Fear sat on every
countenance ; terror and distress were in all hearts; silence pervaded
the streets; many of the people left the country; all business was
at a stand, and the feeling, dismal and horrible indeed, became
general, that the providence of God was removed from them, and
that they were given over to the dominion of Satan.' f From this
awful scourge, New^bury was wholly exempt, though we have
abundant evidence, that the inhabitants participated in the almost
universal belief, that witchcraft was a reality. It was a fault of
the age, from which the most pious, and, in other respects, learned
men, were not free. Sir Matthew Hale was a firm believer in
witchcraft, and the celebrated Richard Baxter, in a preface to one
of Cotton Mather's sermons, on a case of supposed witchcraft,
declares, ' that this instance comes with such convincing evidence,
that he must be an obstinate Sadducee, \?ho will not believe it' It
is well observed bv governor Hutchinson, that ' in all ages of the
world, superstitious credulity has produced greater cruelty than is
practised among the Hottentots, or other nations whose belief of a
deity is called in question.'
March. Several of the west end people, again made a petition
and proposition about calling a minister.
* Robert Calef. t Lectures on witchcraft.
158 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
May l^th. Sir William Phipps arrived at Boston, with the new
charter for the Massachusetts province.
July 14^. Thanksgiving appointed on account of peace, the
charter, and so forth.
November 1st. By special order of Sir William Phipps, twelve
soldiers were sent from Newbury to Haverhill.
December 13th. Town ordered that < whosoever shall build any
vessels on the towne common shall pay to the town threepence per
ton for the use of the building yard, that they shall improve.' ^
December 20th. The town voted ' that they would call another
minister at the west end of the towne.' Against this vote, twenty-
two of the ' west end ' men entered their dissent. =fc
December 27th. A committee was chosen 'to enquire after a
suitable person to preach to the west end and to keep schoole.' #
This year, a petition to divide Essex county was presented to the
general court ; Newbury was allowed to have another house of en-
tertainment ; and the grand jury of Essex county ' presented Joseph
Bailey for saying the men appointed by the town to answer the
petition of those, who wanted another minister were devils incarnate.'
1693.
April 20th. The town < chose Tristram Coffin treasurer for the
poor.' ^
May 12th. * Towne voted that Mr. John Clarke be called to
assist Mr. Richardson in the work of the ministry at the west end
of the towne to preach to them one year in order to farther settle-
ment and also to keep a grammar schoole.' *
May 31st. The selectmen of Newbury, in their petition to the
general court, state that ' a long difference has existed between the
people of Newbury, and those in the west end of the town about
calling a minister, that the west end people had called Mr. Edward
Tomson to preach to them without acquainting the minister, church
or towne with their proceedings in that affair, the which when our
town did understand that they were about to bring him into town,
the town being met to consider of it by their vote did declare that
they were against his coming, or any other until the church and
town were agreed, yet they persisted in their design and brought
him in, and when he was come in our minister warned him to
forbear preaching till the church and town were agreed, yet he
presumed to set up a lecture, and preach without any allowance of
ministers, church or town, which when the church did understand,
they did call him to account, and declared their dislike of his irreg-
ular proceeding, yet he hath persisted in these irregularities to the
great disturbance of our peace, and since upon the request of sev-
erall of the inhabitants of the west end of our towne, called another
minister, Mr. John Clark, who hath accepted of the call, and yet
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 159
there are severall, who refuse to accept of him, pretending they are
bound to said Tomson, which agreement they made when the rest
of their neighbors were about to make application to the town,
which was since the late law was made to direct the town to call
the minister.'
June 15th. A committee of the west end people, in their petition,
thus reply. They request the governor and council * to pity and
help them,' 'to ease them of a heavy burden of travel on God's day.'
1 We have been,' say they, < endeavoring above these five years to
have the publick worship of God established among us on the
Lord's day for reasons such as these. The bulk of us live four
miles from the ould meeting house, some six or seven. Our num-
ber is above three hundred. Few of us have horses, and if we
could get down to the ould meeting house, it is impossible it should
receive us with them so that many [would] lay out of doors, the house
is so little. Some of us have groaned under this burden this thirty
years, some grown old, some sickly, and although we were favored
with the liberty granted by king James the second and had erected
an house to the worship of God on our o^n cost and charge, and
acquainted the two next justices with our intent before we built the
said house. A committee of five were appointed to ;come on the
place, but before they had finished their work, the governor arrived,
which caused them to desist. We complained to the governor,
who granted us a protection from paying to the ould meeting house,
then countermanded it. The town had a meeting — they intend to
delude us by granting the help of a schoolmaster at sometimes for
one yeare. We believe our neighbours would be glad to see us
quite tired out. We beg the honorable court to establish peace
among us a rational dividing line.'
< June 15th, 1693.'
July 5th. < The towne in theyr votes for the choyce of a minister
for the west end of the towne in order to a full settlement in the
work of the ministry and Mr. John Clarke was then chosen and not
one vote against him.' ^
July 5th. Twenty-five persons of the west end entered their
dissent against * calling Mr. Clark. The reason is because the new
towne people have a minister already.' #
This year, a jury of twelve women held an inquest on the body
of Elizabeth Hunt, of Newbury. The following is an accurate
copy of their verdict, which was doubtless perfectly conclusive and
satisfactory.
' We judge according to our best light and contients, that the
death of said Elizabeth was not by any violens or wrong dun to
her by any parson or thing, but by som soden stoping of her breath/
September 26th. On this day, the court of common pleas held
its first sessions in Newbury. The court was held in the first parish;
meeting-house.
* Town records.
160 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1694.
February 21st. Liberty was granted to the petitioners ' to erect
between captain Noyes' lane and Mr. Woodbridge's [upper green]
a little house for the accommodation of a good and sufficient schoole
dame.' A similar petition was granted to deacon William Noyes,
1 to sett up a schoole house upon the towne's land.'
A salary of ( twenty pounds in money and fifty pounds in graine
was voted to ye reverend Mr. John Clarke so long as he carry on
the worke of the ministry.' Mr. Clark having declined the call,
Mr. Christopher Toppan was invited ' to preach at the new towne.'
Mr. Toppan having declined settling, but expressing his willingness
' to help in the work of the ministry for a year,' the town voted ' to
give Mr. Toppan forty pounds in money and four contributions a
year.'
March 26th. The town granted permission to John Kelly, senior,
to keep a ferry over the Merrimac, at Holt's rocks, ' in the place
where he now dwells.' Ferriage, ' sixpence for horse and man,
and twopence for a single man.'
September 4th. ' Mr. Joseph Pike and Richard Long,' both of
Newbury, ' were shot by the Indians as they were traveling near
the end of Pond plain,' ^ in Haverhill.
September 5th. A committee, consisting of Joshua Brown, John
Ordway, and Samuel Bartlet, petitioned to the general court, ' in
behalf of the company, that as they had erected a meeting house,
and supplied themselves with a minister yet nevertheless our
distresses do continually grow upon us toward an insupportable
extremity, since the imprisoning of some of our number for their
signifying our desire to enjoy the minister, whom we had formerly
invited to preach in the meeting house, which we built at our own
cost and charge, and some of us have been fined for not delivering
up the key of the said meeting house.'
They conclude by requesting the general court, that they would
1 so far interpose in our concerns as to take some effectual care for
the relief of your petitioners and for the quiet of the whole town,
the peace whereof is now so dangerously interrupted.' f
October 22d. ' The town brought in theyr votes by papers,' for
a minister for ' the west end of the towne of Newbury and Mr.
Christopher Toppan had sixty- five votes and Mr. Tompson
seventeen.' J
December 2lst. A committee of five were chosen c to draw up
articles and proposals in order to setting off part of the west end of
the towne ' f as a separate parish.
This year, a petition was sent to the governor and council, from
Newbury and four other towns, for a division of the county of Essex.
' John and Samuel Bartlet, Abraham Morrill John Emery and
* Reverend John Pike's journal. t General court files. J Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 161
Joseph Bailey were bound over and admonished for opposing their
ordained minister, Mr. John Richardson.'
1695.
January 1st. The town met and 'voted that Pipe-stave hill near
Daniel Jaques' house shall be the place for the meeting house, and
those that live nearest to that place shall pay to the ministry there,
and those that live nearest to the old meeting house shah1 pay there,
the inhabitants at the west end to choose a minister for themselves,
only Mr. Tompson excepted.' ' And the meeting house to stand
where it do, until the major part of them see cause to remove it'
t The dividing line shall be from the middle way from the prefixed
place in Pipe-stave hill and the old meeting house, to run on a
straight line to Francis Brown's house near Birchen meadows and
so straight over to the little pond.' ^
January 3d. Tristram Coffin, Henry Short, and Abraham Mer-
rill, divided the town into two parishes.
Hugh March, in behalf of himself and brother, captain John
March, petitioned the town ' to grant them a piece of ground and
flatts to build a wharf and dock near captain March's barn.'^
This petition was granted on certain conditions, January sixteenth,
provided they are built ' within three years.' ^
March 17/A. ' Mr. John Woodbridge dies, a good man and a
constant attendant upon God in his publick worship on the Lord's
day.' f
'June 5th. ' Town voted to give Mr. Christopher Toppan twenty
pounds yearly in money and three hundred pounds a year in good
country pay so long as he carries on one half of the ministry among
them, and thirty pounds a year so long as he shall keep a grammar
and a writing st-hoole, the scholars to pay as they did to Mr. John
Clarke,' which proposals Mr. Toppan accepted, July seventeenth.
September 9th. l Twenly-four men at Pemaquid, going to get
wood, are shot, four of whom are dead. Serjeant Hugh March,
[of iNewbury,] George's son, was killed at the first shot.' f
October 1th. On the afternoon of this day, five Indians attacked
and plundered the house of John Brown, who lived on the westerly
side of Turkey hill, and captivated nine persons ; one only of the
family escaped to tell the tale. On the same day, colonel Daniel
Pierce sent the following letter to colonel Appleton and colonel
Wade, of Ipswich.
1 Sir, this afternoon there came the enemy to a house in our town and went in
and took and carried away nine persons and plundered the house, and as near
as we can gather, they went southwestwardly between Boxford and Bradford.
We can not gather that there were above five of the enemy, but night came on
so that we could not pursue them, but we have lined Merrimac river with about
fourscore men to watch lest they should carry the captives over the river, and
* Town records. t Judge Sewall's diary.
21
162 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
do design in the morning to pursue them and range the woods with all the force
we can make, and think it advisable that you range the woods towards Andover,
and that Rowley towards Bradford, for if they escape us it will be an encourage-
ment to them. Sir, I do think the case requires our utmost industry who am
your friend and servant,
D. PIERCE.
October 1th, 1695.'
To this letter was appended the following.
1 Colonel Gedney,
Honored sir, it is thought advisable on the consideration abovesaid yt it
may be beneficial for the several companies in the several townes to range ye
woods with all possible speed towards Bradford and Andover and so towards
Merrimack river, so that if it might be ye enemy may be found, and destroyed,
which spoyle our people.
Ipswich, October eighth, at five in the morning.
Your servant,
SAMUEL APPLETON.'
Three hours after this, colonel Thomas Wade thus writes from
Ipswich.
1 Honored sir,
Just now captain Wicom brings information that the last night captain
Greenleaf with a party of men met with the enemy by the river side, have re-
deemed all the captives but one, which they doubt is killed. Three of the In-
dians got into a canoe and made escape, and the other two ran into the woods.
Captain Greenleaf is wounded in the side and arm, how much we know not,
which is all at present from your servant,
THOMAS WADE.'
Judge Sewall, in his journal, says, ' all the captives were brought
back, save one boy, that was killed. The Indians knocked the rest
on the head, save one infant.'
Reverend John Pike, in his journal, states, that ' the captives Were
all retaken but some died of their wounds.'
On the fifth of March, 1696, captain Greenleaf addressed the fol-
lowing petition to the general court.
1 The petition of captain Stephen Greenleaf of Newbury,
1 Humbly sheweth,
i That upon the seventh of October last about three o'clock in the
afternoon a party of Indians surprised a family at Turkey hill in said town cap-
tivated nine persons, women and children, rifled the house, carrying away bed-
ding and other goods. Only one person escaped and gave notice to the next
family and they, the town. Upon the alarm your petitioner with a party of men
pursued after the enemy, endeavouring to line the river Merrimack to prevent
their passage, by which means the captives were recovered and brought back.
' The enemy lay in a gully hard by the highway and about nine at night made
a shot at your petitioner and shot him through the wrist between the bones, and
also made a large wound in his side, which wounds have been very painful and
costly to your petitioner in the cure of them and have in a great measure utterly
taken away the use of his left hand and wholly taken him off from his employ-
ment this winter.
• Your petitioner therefore humbly prays this honored court that they would
make him such compensation as shall seem fit, which he shall thankfully
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 163
acknowledge and doubts not but will be an encouragement to others speedily to
relieve their neighbours when assaulted by so barbarous an enemy;
And your petitioner shall ever pray,
STEPHEN GREENLEAF.
'March 6th. Read and voted that there be paid out of the province treasury
to the petitioner the sum of forty pounds.'
From one of John Brown's descendants, William G. White, I
learn the following particulars as a family tradition. The Indians
had secreted themselves for some time near the house, waiting for
the absence of the male members of the family, who, about three
o'clock, departed with a load of turnips. The Indians then rushed
from their concealment, tomahawked a girl, who was standing at the
front door. Another girl, who had concealed herself as long as the
Indians remained, immediately after their departure gave the alarm,
which resulted as before related. The coat, which captain Green-
leaf wore in his pursuit of the Indians, is still preserved by his de-
scendants, together with the bullet, which was extracted from his
wound. This, I believe, is the only instance, in which the Indians
either attacked, captivated, or killed, any of the inhabitants of
Newbury.
From the original document now in my possession, I copy the
following. %
'October 14th, 1695. To Abraham Merrill of Newbury.
.' These Are In his Majesty's name to will and Requier you to take the Gear to
seat the watch of five men A night Begining att Samuel Poores and Job Pils-
buryes and all Bayer's Lean [lane] to Edward Poores and soe Runing by ye
Road to Hartichoak river and soe Notherly Except the Boundars. You Are
Likewise Required to Ordar two of said watchmen upon Dewty to walke Dowen
to Daniei Merrill's and two more to John Ordways att thaier returen Always
keeping out a Sentinell upon dewty. You are also to Make return of all defacts
unto the Capten to whom they belong forthwith. It is also desiered that you
demand and require ye fien for each man's defeact and upon their refusal! to
make return as aforesaid.'
December 1.8th. The town, c on the request of the inhabitants of
the west end of the towne of Newbury, granted them five acres of
land on the east side of Artichoke river for a pasture for the minis-
try and one acre of land near the west meeting house, and when the
major part shall see cause to remove the said meeting house, the
land shall be at the disposal of the towne to procure land for the
ministry, near the west meeting house, when removed.''*
1696.
February 28th. A rate was made for payment of building and
finishing the west end meeting-house and ministry house. The ex-
pense was twenty-two pounds and three shillings in money, and
two hundred and eighteen pounds, eighteen shillings, and twopence
* Town records.
164 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
in pay. This was due from sixty-four persons. Of this number,
twenty-four, namely, Benjamin and Joseph Morse, Thomas, Daniel
and Moses Chase, John, senior, John, junior, and Abiel Kelly, Mr.
Abraham Annis and Isaac, Joseph Richardson, Abel Iluse, Caleb
Moody, Benjamin Low, Tristram Greenleaf, Daniel Morrison, Ed-
ward Woodman, John Hoag, Hanariah Ordway, Thomas Follans-
bee, lieutenant John Emerson, Thomas Williams, Francis Willet,
and Samuel Sayer, junior, objected to the continuance of the meet-
ing house on the plains, and wished to have it removed to Pipe
stave hill. The contest, thus commenced, continued for many years
with an obstinacy and bitterness, to which the annals of Newbury
furnish no parallel. Its results we shall hereafter see.
March 1st. The town granted to Stephen Greenleaf ' four or
five rods on the flatts from Watts' cellar spring to ensign Greenleaf's
and Mr. Davison's grant from high water mark to low water mark
to build a wharfe and a place to build vessels uppon,' on certain
conditions, one was ' that it come not within ten or twelve feet of
the spring.'^
July 29th. The town offers Mr. Nicholas Webster thirty pounds
a year in country pay to keep a ' grammer schoole provided he de-
mand but fourpence per week for Latin scholars and teach the town's
children to read, write and cypher without pay.'^
September 9th. Reverend Christopher Toppan ordained.
c The winter of this year was the coldest since the first settlement
of New England.' Lewis's history of Lynn*
1697-
March. Laid out to Stephen Greenleaf a ' parcel of flatts and
rocks lying on Merrirnack river near Watts' cellar, bounded north-
erly by the river, easterly by major Davison's grant, southerly by
the common land of Newbury and the westerly bound comes
within about fifteen foot of the spring.'
''March \\ih. The town laid out to Anthony Somerby a piece of
land three rods square, lying at the place knowne by the name of
Glading's spring f bounded by the common or undivided land of
Newbury on every side, bounded with a small rock at every corner,
for the convenience of dressing of leather.' ^
' April 25th, Thursday. This day is signalized by ye achieve-
ment of Hannah Dunstan, Mary Neff and Samuel Lennardson,
who killed two men, two women, and six others and brought home
their scalps.' f
This year ensign James Noyes made a great discovery. It is
thus mentioned by Judge Sewall in his diary.
1 1697. Colonel Pierce gave an account of ye body of limestone
discovered at Newbury and the order of the selectmen published by
* Town records.
t ' Glading's spring' is a few rods southwesterly from Mr. Silas Noyes's house.
J Judge Sewall.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 165
James Brown deputy sheriff, to prohibit any persons from carrying
any more away under ye penalty of twenty shillings. It seems they
began to come with teams thirty in a day. The town will have a
meeiing and bring it to some regulation. Our Mumford says 't is
good marble. Ensign James Noyes found it out.'
We at the present time can hardly conceive of the excitement
occasioned in the town and neighborhood by this discovery. It was
deemed by judge Sewall worthy of special notice, as an ans\ver,
among other things, to a letter written from New England to Old
England, ' discoursing of an impossibility of subsisting here.' lie
thus writes in his ' Phenomena quoedam apocalyptica,' page sixty-
fourth, published this year.
1 This summer ensign James Noyes hath happily discovered a
body of marble at Newbvry, within half a mile of the navigable
part of Little river, by which means very good lime is made within
the province.'
From this extract it would appear that this body of limestone was
the first discovered in Massachusetts. Certain it is, that vast quan-
tities of lime of the best quality were annually made in Newbury,
for nearly a century, for export as well as for home use. Prior to
this time, lime was manufactured from oyster and clam shells. Lewis,
in his very minute and accurate history of Lynn, informs us under
the year 1696, that ' immense numbers of great clams were thrown
upon the beaches by storms. The people were permitted, by a vote
of the town, to dig and gather as many as they wished for their own
use, but no more ; and no person was allowed to carry any out of
the town, on a penalty of twenty shillings. The shells were gath-
ered in cart loads on the beach and manufactured into lime.'
July. * Sore and long continued drought.'
July 22d. ' Drought continuing many of the towns and churches
had days of fasting and prayer.' #
September 12th. i Our army abroad under the command of ma-
jor John March [of Newbury] going ashore at a place, called Dam-
aris cove, a small island in the eastern parts, the Indians being there,
they waylaid them and killed several of them. Our English fought
bravely and drove them off the island.' ^
September 22d. The town chose ' major Daniel Davison, corpo-
ral George March and ensign James Noyes, as a committee, who
shall inspect into all matters concerning the lime stones in any of
the undivided lands in the town, who shall have the sole ordering,
disposing and importing said lime stones for the town's use in what
way and manner they shall judg shall most conduce to the benefit of
the towne,' and so forth, and so forth. The committee were to keep
accurate accounts of all disbursements and profits, which were to be
read once every six months in a public town meeting. All persons
were prohibited, under a penalty of twenty shillings the hogshead
and proportionable for smaller quantities, who should presume to
* Fairfield's journal.
166 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
dig or cany away or dispose of any of the aforesaid limestone, and
so forth.
' It was also voted that the kiln for burning said lime shall be
built at or near the end of Muzzie's lane next Merrimack river.' ^
' The kiln ' mentioned above was the kiln in which the lime was
burnt by the committee for the benefit of the town. Lime kilns
owned by individuals in various parts of the town were numerous.
* August. Ordered by the selectmen that the river called by the
Indians Quasacuncon and has since been called by divers names,
as Newbury river, Oldtown river, be from this time called by the
name of the river Parker in remembrance of the worthy, learned,
and reverend minister Mr. Thomas Parker, who was a first planter
and pastor of ye church of Newbury and learned schoolmaster.' ^
November 8th. The town voted that the assessors ' raise the tax
on polls one penny on the poll for every penny that they raise upon
ye pound.' ^
' Also voted that the selectmen procure a flagg for the meeting
house to be put out at the ringing of the first bell, and taken in when
the last bell is rung.' ^
4 As I lay in my bed this morning,' says judge Sewall, 'this verse
ran in my mind :
' To horses, swine, neat cattle, sheep and deer,
Ninety and seven proved a mortal year.'
1698.
May 4:th. l The towne voted that Mr. George March should be
paid for fencing in the burying place.'
July 5th. ' The towne voted that they would build a new meeting
house, and for that purpose chose the worshipful colonel Daniel
Pierce, captain Thomas Noyes and serjeant Stephen Jaques a com-
mittee, who on October fifth made their report.'
December 2\st. i The towne voted that serjeant Stephen Jaques
should build a meeting house sixty feet in length fifty feet in breadth
and twenty feet in the stud for five hundred and thirty pounds.'
The next February, c the town voted to have the meeting house
twenty-four feet post instead of twenty and to pay serjeant Jaques
twenty pounds more.'
October 26th. A church was gathered in the west precinct, and
on November tenth the reverend Samuel Belcher was ordained
their minister.
November. ' Near the close of this month,' says Fairfield, in his
diary, ' there was a general contribution in the province for the
relief of captives in Mequinez in Morocco.' In a letter to colonel
Thomas Noyes on this subject, honorable Andrew Belcher thus
writes. * On the sixth of December 1698 you paid me three pounds
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 167
eight shillings and ten pence, it being the collection of some of the
inhabitants of Newbury, towards the relief of the captives in Sallee.' #
' This year, Ezra Cottle commenced ship-building, at or near the
foot of Chandler's lane [Federal street] where Mr. William John-
son built.' f
The town made some new regulations about the lime stones, and
'voted that four shillings per ton shall be paid for lime stones,
transportation, and that no more be sold out of the towne till further
order.' f
1699-
1 The town/ on certain conditions, ' granted to Ebenezer Knowl-
ton nine rods of land for the setting up a tanning trade.' f
December 18th. ' Colonel Daniel Pierce and colonel Thomas
Noyes were impowered to employ ye honorable captain Samuel
Sewall to procure a good and sufficient meeting house bell for the
towne of Newbury, suitable for our towne considering the remote-
ness of our dwellings.' f
1700.
4 This year,' says the reverend Richard Brown, in his diary, * has
been famous for three things, namely :
' First, for yt the winter w^as turned into summer, or at least we
have had little or none, the ground being bare for the most part,
though we have had snow at some times, yet very shallow, not
exceeding above twelve inches and that by an advance of southerly
gales faded away speedily.
' Second, an earthquake on the last of January, which was con-
siderably great.
' Third, another on the last of February passingly considerable.'
April 22d. ' Serjeant Stephen Jaques was ordered to hang the
old meeting house bell in the new turret'
September 18th. l The town voted to have the new meeting
house composed with seats as the old one was, except ten feet on
three sides for pews and alleys.'
October ISth. l Voted that a pew be built for the minister's wife
by the pulpit stairs, that colonel Daniel Pierce should have the first
choice for a pew and major Thomas Noyes shall have the next
choice and that colonel Daniel Pierce esquire, and Tristram Coffin
esquire be impowered to procure a bell of about four hundred
pounds weight.' f
This year a house was built for the poor to li ve in.
November 6th. Permission was granted to twenty persons ' to
build pews on the lower floor for themselves and families.'
In November of this year, Hester Rogers, of Newbury, was
* Robert Adams's manuscripts. | Town records.
168 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
arrested on suspicion of murdering her child. The following is a
literal copy of the constable's bill.
' John Pike, constable for ye town of Newbury.'
1 His bill of cost for seaseing and securing the body of Hester Rogers of said
Newbury apprehended by one of his majestie's justices for murdering her
children in ye year 1700.
Item, for procuring of a warrant for seasing her body . . . £0? Is.
Item; by guarding of ye body of the said Rogers night and day with two
men from ye thirteenth of November 1700 until ye ninth day of
December 1700 . 6, 10
Item, by setting said guard dayly with new men at sixpence per time 0, 13
Item, by conveying of her body to Ipswich gaol .... 0, 8
Item, for fier wood and attendance during said term of time, . . 1, 12
Item and also for fier wood and trobaling ye house, . . . 1, 00
£10, 045
JOHN PIKE, constable as abovesaid.;
December 6th. The committee appointed to < seat the meeting
house,' performed their task. The number of men and women to
whom seats were assigned, were three hundred and thirteen, whose
names are all recorded.
From a testimony on file in the quarterly court, it appears, that,
so late as this year, only two houses had been erected on the banks
of the Merrimac, in Newbury. One of these, owned by doctor
Humphrey Bradstreet, stood near the head of Hale's wharf, the
other, owned by Daniel Pierce, was farther south.
1701.
March 18th. The canopy of the old pulpit was given by the
town * to the west part of Newbury for their pulpit.' ^
In Judge Sewall's diary I find the following, by which it appears
that Hester Rogers had her trial at Boston.
' July 15th. Esther Rogers was tried and condemned for murder.
Mr. Cook pronounced the sentence.'
From Fairfield's journal I make the following extract:
'July thirty-first, a young woman, named Esther Rogers was executed at
Ipswich for murdering her child (a mulatto) of whom it may be noted, she was
a poor sinful creature, as vile as ordinarily any are under the light of the
gospel, and one, who had a child by a negro at Newbury, when she was about
seventeen years of age, as she herself confessed, and that she murdered it and
buried it in the garden, and four years after had a child again and murdered
that, but could not conceal it. Of her carriage in prison and at the execution
there is an account printed with three sermons in Ipswich on occasion thereof.'
Tradition informs us that Esther Rogers drowned her child in the
pond behind the first parish meeting-house.
In October, Thomas Mossum, a colored man, was ordered to
leave town with his family.
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 169
* October ~L5th. Voted to give Mr. Richard Brown and Mr. Moses
Hale twelve shillings per sermon for every sermon that they preached
to us during Mr. Toppan's sickness.' *
December 9th. The town voted to abate one half the minister's
rate of sixteen persons at ' the falls,' for the coming year. #
1702.
January 13th. The town voted to divide according to ' former rule
eighteen hundred acres of the lower commons, reserving pasturage
for four cows for the ministry in the east end of the towne, three for
the ministry in the west end, three for the free school and the herb-
age of twenty cows for the benefit of the town's poor.' *
July 22d. Town voted to give Mr. Richard Brown twenty
pounds for his yearly salary, and to have fourpence a week for his
Latin scholars.
Town also chose i the selectmen a committee to consider and re-
port what it will cost to remove the old meeting house farther from
the new meeting house and to fitt it up for a court house, towne
house and school house.' ^
Sometime this year, the people residing within the limits of what
was afterward incorporated as By field parish, built a meeting-house
near the place where the present house now stands. As the parish
comprehended a part of Newbury, and a part of Rowley, it was at
first called ' Rowlbury.' Mehetabel, wife of William IVIoody, and
daughter of Henry Sewall. who died August second, 1702, aged
thirty, was the first person interred in the burying ground there.
1703.
March 9th. ' The town voted to pay four pounds to those who
killed two wolves at the Ipswich end of Plum island.' *
The town also ' voted to let the ferry over the river Parker for four
years at four pounds a year to corporal Richard Jackman, who is to
carry all the court officers, going and returning from court, all town
officers, when employed by the town, and all the rams, belonging to
the town, ferry free.' *
March 17th. Town voted that the old meeting-house be repaired
and fitted for a court house, * school house and town house.' *
' Thirty rods of land were granted to Richard Goodwin on the
southerly side of the great hill, said Goodwin engaging himself and
heyrs, never to keep a dogg, whilst he or they shall dwell on said
land.'*
This year ' Benaiah Titcomb's vessel was captured on his voyage
from Antigua to Newbury.'
September 28th. There was a great snow storm.
* Town records.
22
170 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
In November, captain John March petitioned the general court to
grant him some compensation for the losses he sustained in his de-
fence of Casco fort. He says, l I forsook my own habitation at
Newbury and removed my family, stock of cattle and so forth to
the said fort, upon which upon the perfidious breach made by that
barbarous people, your petitioner was in utmost hazard of losing
his life, and by a wonderful preservation escaped the hands of those
infidels, and did actually lose more than five hundred pounds of his
estate.' Among his losses, he mentions 'sloop and furniture,
eighty-nine head of sheep and cattle, five and a half acres of wheat,
six acres of as good peas as ever I saw, four and a half acres of
Indian corn,' and so forth.
'•November 20th. The general court granted to captain John March
fifty pounds in consideration of the brave defence of his majesty's
fort at Casco bay, when lately attacked by the French and Indian
enemy, and of the wounds he then received.' %•
1704.
January 5th. ' The town voted that two shillings and sixpence
per ton shall be paid for lime stone, provided that they that»buy them,
dig them, and burn them in Newbury.' f
** January \$th. The town chose a committee to measure and di-
vide the bank against Merrimack river, and voted that two men be
hired to watch and ward upon the river until it breaks up.' f
February 24:th. ' This day the new parishioners met in the house,
built for their minister and agree to call the precinct Byfield.' J
The following is a copy of a letter from Judge Sewall to his
brother, William Moody of Newbury.
'Boston, April 1st, 1704.
( Loving brother,
' After your being here last I writt a letter to colonel Byfield and in-
formed him that you had named your infant parish Byfield, and would from
henceforth look upon him as your patron, and be ready gratefully to acknowledge
any countenance or favour he should be pteased to afford you. To this effect
in more words. This day I received a letter from colonel Byfield, in which are
these words :
1 1 am surprised at the account you give me of the name of a new town upon
the river Parker near Newbury. How they hitt upon my name I can ?t imagine.
I heartily wish them prosperity ; and if any respect to me was the cause, it is
an obligation upon me (when God shall enable me) to study how I may be ser-
viceable to them.'
1 I called it only a parish. What if Mr. Hale should write a letter to colonel
Byfield, intimating the matter of fact, that it was in regard to him. You have
been informed of his parentage. He has only two daughters, Madam Lyde and
Madam Taylor. I believe he is a good man, and a fast friend, very industrious
and thorow in promoting what he undertakes.'
SAMUEL SEWALL.
* Province records. t Town records. J Judge Sewall's diary.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 171
March 28th. The court again confirmed the ferry to colonel John
March, which was granted him in 1687.
August 3d. Colonel N. Saltonstall thus writes to colonel Thomas
Noyes :
' Sir, by his excellency's express direction I command you in her
majesty's name forthwith to appoint and set forth one half of your
company by name and have them ready, well fixt with arms and
ammunition and ten days' provision to march at an hour's \varning.
The command is strict.'
September 28th. He thus writes : < I desire and order that by
tomorrow morning at farthest you press and post at your block
houses in Newbury twelve able souldiers, three at each of your four
[block] houses, to abide there night and day, to watch/
The expense this year for these block-houses was one hundred
and six pounds, ten shillings, and seven pence.
November llth. ' Henry Lunt, Thomas Newman, and Richard
Dole,' captains of freighting sloops from Newbury, complained to
the general court of the conduct of captain Tuthill, of the castle,
who ' brought all their vessels to an anchor, took them out, carried
them to the castle, demanded money for a shot, which he said was
fired at them, made them pay six shillings and eight pence apiece,
one shilling apiece for pass money, and three shillings apiece to
carry them back to their vessels again.' ^
In 1702, 'walnut wood was five shillings per cord, oak three
shillings,' cotton wool one shilling and ten pence per pound, corn
two shillings per bushel. In this year, 1704, cider was six shillings
per barrel. In 1703, turnips were one shilling and three pence per
bushel, and 1708, one and eight pence, and in 1711 sturgeon was
two pence per pound.f
1705.
February 6th. The town ' voted to apportion the flatts among
the proprietors ' by lot, and on February thirteenth, ' that they should
begin next Mr. Pierce's meadow and that there should be a w^ay
above said lots* two rods broad.' J By this it appears that ' Water
street' was not laid out till this year.
The number of the river lots was two hundred and twenty-four.
February 20th. Governor Dudley thus writes to colonel Salton-
stall : ' I pray you to give direction that your snow-shoe men from
Newbury to Andover be ready at a moment's warning till the
weather breaks up, and then we may be quiet awhile.'
May 23d. The ' old meeting house was granted to Richard
Brown with liberty to remove it.' J
July llth. The 'ferry over Merrimack river between Newbury
and Salisbury near captain Edward Sargent's,' was purchased by
the town, of colonel John March, for two hunolred and forty pounds,
* Province Records. t Old account books. J Town records.
172 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
and on March fifth, 1706, ' they sold one half of it to Salisbury for
one hundred and twenty pounds.'
June 27th. Governor Dudley orders colonel Saltonstall ' to de-
tach twenty able soldiers of the Newbury militia and have them
rendezvous at Haverhill on July fifth.'
On the appearance of these men at Haverhill, colonel N. Salton-
stall thus writes to colonel Noyes :
'HaverhilL My 17th, 1705.
c I received your return of ye twenty men ye Governor commanded me to
call for, and when ye persons (which I can ;t call men) appeared, even a con-
siderable number of them, to be but boys, or children, and not fit for service,
blind in part, and deaf, and cross-handed, I stopt till I waited on ye governor,
ye twelfth instant and upon libertie to speak with him, I with ye major have
taken the best care we can to keep the men and children sent hither for ye
present, till I may have opportunity to tell you the cmeen likes it not, to be
served in this manner.
1 But one in special, Nicholas 'K^***** by name, is blind, and deaf, and
small, and not fit to be continued, and therefore to be short, I send Nicholas
*^***^* home to you, and do expect that you will send some able man in his
place, if you have an able one in Newbury.
1 The other diminutives are sent out to garrison at present, or else you had
mett with them to return to you for ye like exchange.
' My heart, if it speaks, is full, fwait a suitable time, to tell you what I have
to say on her majesty's behalf. To take boyes for originally prest men, and
they hired too, I know not ye regularity of it. I shall be glad to see you, and
intend to do it at Haverhill or Newbury or a middle place, as you will desire,
if I am able to attend, to see what is right and what is our duty for us to do.
Your very humble servant,
To lieutenant-colonel Thomas Noyes.' NATHANIEL SALTONSTALL.
In another letter he thus writes :
1 August ^ 1705.
1 One Smith came this day with two of his sons in order to get a release ibr
John Danford. I wonder how you concern yourself so much about this man,
to get Danford home, and disregard your default and have not yet sent a good
man for that pitiful insufficient sick man Nicholas ^fr****** whom I sent off
ye sixteenth of July last to you to send a better hand, and he to returne in two
days time to me, but he is not yet come, nor other for him. Pray consider what
lyes at your doore and do not deale so unhandsomely with your patient friend
and humble servant,
N. SALTONSTALL.
To lieutenant-colonel Thomas Noyes.'
1706.
January kth. c Voted that the new bell be hanged in the turret of
the meeting house with all convenient speede. Also to take care
that the bell be rung at nine of the clock every night and that the
day of the month be every night tolled.' ^
The inscription round the bell is: 'let us love as brethren.
Matthew Bagley fundit, 1705.'
< The town granted to twelve persons a piece of ground between
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. "173
the watch-house and the meeting house pond joyning to doctor
Toppan's fence to set up a stable.' #
March. l Many sheep were drowned this month in Newbury,
by the overflowing of Merrimack river, the ice being jam'd.' f
* October 21st. ' The Newbury part of Byfield was set off for so
long a time as they shall maintain an orthodox minister amongst
them.' *
October 23d. Henry Short, the town clerk, died.
October 30th. Mr. Richard Brown was chosen to supply his
place. At the same meeting, the town voted to employ ' serjeant
Joseph Pike to build a bridge over Indian river near his saw-mill.' *
November 17th. Reverend Moses Hale was ordained the minis-
ter of the * falls ' parish, but had preached for them about four years.J
February 2Sth. ' The town chose a committee of three to pro-
ceed and build a meeting house at Pipe-stave hill.' # For a more
full account, see under the year 1712.
1707-
January 29th. The ' town voted that there be a gaole or prison
built in Newbury, for the ease of the subject, for the restraining of
much vice and keeping up of the order of government, provided
the county be at one hah0 of the cost and charge.' # *
1708.
May 26th. The general court < ordered that colonel Thomas
Noyes [of Newbury] shall for the present ease of her majesty's
subjects, whose situation makes it disputable to which of the prov-
inces they belong, notify the gentlemen appointed by Massachusetts
and New Hampshire, to meet at such time and place as he shall
appoint,' in order to run the line ' that they may not be oppressed by
a demand upon them by both governments.'
June 18th. The town 'voted that the nine a clock bell should be
rung at nine of the clock precisely, nightly for the year ensuing.' ^
July 6th. The town's commons i were divided into four general
pastures. The first, the common land at the neck. The second,
the old town common to Mr. Short's farm. The third to extend
near to the dwelling house of corporal James Smith and to run up
by the brook, whereon the new bridge is to Mr. March's farm and
by the southerly side of said farm to the birchen meadows and the
rest of said common at the new town to be the fourth.' ^
'August. There was a great drought.' §
This year Joseph Lunt rode post.
August 29th. Joseph Bartlet, of Newbury, was taken captive by
the French and Indians in their attack on Haverhill, and carried into
* Town records. t Sewall's diary.
J Parish records. § Fail-field's journal.
174 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Canada, where he remained over four years. See his narrative,
appendix G.
Liberty to build a saw mill was ganted to Edmund Goodridge
and John Noyes, junior, for twenty-one years on ' cart creek.'
1709.
March 8th. The town < voted that the selectmen shall take care
that the burying place may be fenced.' ^
March 15th. < Voted that the selectmen be impowered to dispose
of the lime stones.' ^
' Voted also to petition the court of sessions for liberty to hang
gates across the country high ways in Newbury where shall be
thought needful.' %•
March 22d. < Voted that there should be gates hung across the
town high ways, where it shall be thought most convenient for the
fencing off the pastures,' ^ that is, the four general pastures.
< Great drought this year. In October, want of water for men
and cattle.' f
' May. An expedition was formed against Canada. On the tenth
there was an impress for soldiers. Some say every tenth man was
taken.' $
1710.
March 7th. A committee was chosen by the town c to discourse
with Benjamin Rolfe about purchasing the lane called Rolfe's lane
in order to make it a highway for the town's use.' ^
In June of this year there was an extreme drought.
October 28th. Byfield parish was incorporated. It was at first
called Rowlbury, being formed from a part of Newbury and a part
of Rowley.
1711-
April 24th. ' John Kent of the island had his barn burnt by ta-
backo with six oxen and four calves and a goose, that was bringing
young ones.' f
July 30th. Fleet set sail for Canada.
* Cottle's lane,' once so called, now South street, was bought and
laid out ' one rod and a half wide from Ezra Cottles to the way by
Merrimack.'
The town ' voted that the grammar school be removed to Green-
leaf's lane or near thereabouts.' Greenleaf's lane is now State
street.
' John Swett was licensed by the court to keep the ferry at Holt's
* Town records. t SewalPs diary. J Fairfield's journal.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 175
rocks September twenty-fifth. Fare twopence for a man and four
pence for a horse.'
The town voted that Benjamin Morse should ' ring the bell at
nine o' clock every night, and sabbath days and lecture days, and
said Morse is to winge or rub down the principal seats the day after
sweeping the meeting house — and to toull the bell till the minister
comes.' ^
October 9th. Deacon Nathaniel Coffin was chosen town clerk,
in room of Mr. Eichaid Brown, resigned. On leaving town for
Reading, where he was ordained as minister, June twenty-fifth,
1712, he left the following on the fly leaf of the town book.
' I have served Newbury as schoolmaster eleven years and as town clerk five
years and a half and have been repaid with abuse, contempt and ingratitude.
I have sent nigh as many to college as all the masters before me since the rev-
erend and learned Parker. Those I have bred think themselves better than
their master (God make them better still) and yet they may remember ye foun-
dation of all their growing greatness was laid in the sweat of my brows.
1 1 pray that poor unacknowledging Newbury may get them that may serve
them better and find thanks when they have done.
: If to find a house for ye school two years when ye town had none, if to take
the scholars to my own fire when there was no wood at school as frequently, if
to give records to the poor, and record their births and deaths gratis, deserves
acknowledgements, then it is my due, but hard to come by.
Est all qua ingrato meritum exprobare voluptas
Hoc fruar, haec de te gaudia sola feram.
R. BROWN.'
A later writer adds the following lines.
{ The lines above do seem to me absurd,
Which by a scholar are left on record
Such boasting as school master is very wrong,
Such boasting don't of right to man belong.'
The town employed Joshua Moody to teach the grammar school
the remainder of the year, and voted that -the grammar school be
removed to Greenleaf ?s lane, [State street.]
Town also ' voted that the selectmen shall forthwith employ sev-
eral persons to take care ye boys be kept in order on sabbath days
and satisfie said persons out of ye money of ye parish, to which
they belong for their sarvice.'
1712.
March llth. The town ' voted that a house for ye keeping ye
grammar school in shall be built and set up near ye middle way
between ye old school house and the little old house now standing
by the way near frog pond.' *
In the beginning of this year, a few individuals residing near
* Town records.
176 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
what is called ' the plains,' separated from the church and society,
with which they had been hitherto connected, and declared them-
selves in favor of the episcopal form of worship. As the causes,
which led them to dissent from the accustomed order of the New
England churches, have never been fully explained, ' the narrative '
of those causes, drawn from authentic documents, ' cannot,' in the
language of the reverend doctor Morss, ' fail of being interesting
and instructive.'
As early as March, 1685, the people at the west end of the town,
on account of the increase of their numbers, and then* distance from
the ' meeting house,' petitioned the town for ' some help in the min-
istry amongst ' them. As the reply to this petition was not satisfac-
tory, sixteen persons in 1689 erected a meeting-house on i the
plains.' In 1695, the town voted that Pipe-stave hill shall be the
place for the meeting-house, and so forth. From this time till 1712,
those, who lived nearer to the meeting-house on the plains than they
did to Pipe-stave hill, acted in opposition to the votes of the town,
the authority of the state, and a large part, (forty to twenty-four,) of
the worshipers in their own precinct, all of whom had decided that
the right place for the meeting-house was Pipe-stave hill, 'while the
other party were as decided that it should stand where it was, and
not be moved. As early as 1696, the reverend Samuel Belcher
with his family was residing in the precinct.^ In the same year, a
vote was passed to build a ministry house, and to enlarge the meet-
ing-house on ' the plains.' In January, 1706, the precinct voted that
' they either would remove the meeting house and build an addition
to it, or else build a new meeting house.' February twenty-eighth,
1 it was voted that ye inhabitants of ye west end of the town of
Newbury will build a new meeting house upon Pipe stave hill, fif-
ty-four feet long and thirty-four feet broad within the space of five
years at ye furthest and to meet in the old meeting house five years,
not to force any person to pay any money or pay till three years be
expired, and then to pay one quarter part yearly until ye whole be
paid/
From this vote twenty persons dissented.
"' Captain Hugh March, Caleb Moody and serjeant John Ordway
were also chosen a committee to build the new meeting house and
enlarge the old meeting house.' 3k In February, 1709, the party op-
posed to the removal of the meeting-house from ' the plains,' to Pipe
stave hill, petitioned the general court for relief. Among other things
they say, that, ( having built a meeting house and settled a minister,
which hath not been effected above twelve years or thereabouts, there
are certain of our inhabitants since planted in the upper parts of our
precinct, who under the supposing notion of a major vote of our
inhabitants have adventured against our declared dissents to make a
considerable and chargeable process towards the building of another
meeting house, wherein they have proceeded so far as to adventure
* Parish records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 177
upon ourselves to levy a tax upon that account and to employ a
collecter to take away our goods, and so forth.' They proceed* to
state, that, ' if the abovesaid process and design on hand proceed to
take effect according to the desire of ye managers thereof, namely,
lo fix ye meeting house and ministry solely there, ivhere they have
now erected their new meetitig- house, it will not only as we apprehend
very unreasonably necessitate us to lose ye great charge we have
been at, but which is worse, frustrate our good ends therein, which
were our o\vn and our children's enjoyment of ye means of grace,
and render it in divers respects more difficult and inconvenient than
before our separation, and so forth. We therefore pray your excel-
lency and honors to vouchsafe to us a favorable regard to our hum-
ble address that our so very hard and costly privileges may be con-
tinued to us in such sort as may not be suppressed by our oppo-
nents, and so forth. And we humbly pray that if no better method
may be found out for our relief that we may be set off so far as
may agree with righteousness and religion, to maintain our minister
and ministry amongst ourselves, the charge whereof we choose
abundantly to undergo rather than have our good ends, desires and
endeavours abovesaid frustrated and made voyde.' * Signed by
fifty-five persons — eleven Bartlets, six Sawyers, three Merrills, four
Browns, three Baileys, Charles and Joseph Annis, two Thurstons,
two named Rogers, three Littles, and nineteen others.
From the preceding petition we learn that the meeting-house had
been erected on Pipe-stave hill, prior to the date of the petition,
probably in the latter part of 1708. Judge Sewall, in his diary,
under the date of May tenth, 1709, says, ' visited cousin Jacob Top-
pan and laid a stone in the foundation of ye meeting house at Pipe
staff hill.'
On March twenty-first, 1710, the inhabitants of the precinct voted
* that they accepted of what was already done and authorized the
major part of the committee (who were chosen in 1706, February
twenty-eighth,) to proceed and finish the meeting house according
to the time mentioned in said vote.' f
From this vote twenty-two persons dissented.
Among the papers on file in the state house in Boston, is one
written by John Ordway, but without date, giving his reasons why
he declined acting with the committee appointed in 1706 to build
the new meeting-house. ' First, because the vote was dissented
against by many, and more offered their dissent and therefore a
great likelihood of contention among us. Second, because we had
no land to set it on, nor order to purchase any. Third, because it
was so long a time since we were chosen, and I wished to call a
meeting of our precinct to see if they were united, and if not, I
thought it very unadvisable to proceed in strife and contention, for
the building of a meeting house ought to be carried on in love and
peace. To what is above written captain March and lieutenant
* General court files. t Parish records.
23
178 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Moody or one of them answered, we have a vote for it, and if you
will not goe on with us, we will goe without you and you shall pay
for it.'
On June second, 1710, a notification was sent from the general
court to the town of Newbury, which was served on them by some
of the west end petitioners to the court. On June seventh, the town
chose colonel Thomas Noyes to act in their behalf, who, on June
ninth, replied to the petition of February ninth, 1709. In his reply
he states, that, ' of the fifty-five signers to the petition, thirty-four
were at no charge in building their meeting house, several live
within a mile of Mr. Toppan's [first parish rneeting-house] and ten
more to the west and northwest of the new meeting house, so that
it is impossible that the major part should be any ways aggrieved
by putting down the old, or putting up the new meeting house.'
He concludes by saying, among other things, that ' the whole of the
western precinct assemble in a house of not above thirty feet square
and yet rather than not have their wills they would have two
churches.'
This produced a long reply, dated June twentieth, in which they
state, ' that we now have one hundred and thirty families, seventy of
which do not live two miles from the old meeting house.'
They conclude by saying, c we must acknowledge ourselves obliged
to him in the superlative degree for speaking the very truth concern-
ing us namely, rather than not have our wills, which are not the
sparing of our purses but ye propagation of ye gospel and ye pro-
moting ye edification of ourselves and ours, particularly our young
ones under the means of grace and ye welfare of immortal souls,
we had rather have two churches and meeting houses also, most
convenient for the obtaining those good ends. We only pray the
general court to prove their servants awhile with their petitioned
pulse and water and afterwards as ye shall see and find our counte-
nances, so deal with your humble servants.'
This petition was not granted, and on the twenty-second of June
it was ' resolved in council that Pipe-stave hill is the most conven-
ient place, and so forth, and that a committee of the principal inhab-
itants in the said precinct, do forthwith attend the reverend Mr.
Belcher and acquaint him with the desire of this court that when a
meeting house shall be erected there and a convenient dwelling
house thereto for his reception with suitable accommodations of
land and so forth he be content to remove thither.' They also
resolved that ' a tax be laid on all the inhabitants.' %
Determined, as it would appear, not to worship in the meeting-
house on Pipe stave hill, twenty-seven of the petitioners signed the
following document, which is accurately copied from the original
now before me.
c July ye 12th, 1710.
' We whos names Are hearto Subscribed doo Agree And oblidge oursealves to
* General court files.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 179
each other to mayntain the publick ministry At the old meeting house in ye
west precinct in Newbury Although we are forsed to pay Elswhare what shall
be lavid upon us.'
On the next day, July thirteenth, the inhabitants of the west
parish held a meeting, and ' voted to observe the direction and re-
solve of the general court June twenty-second in every particular.'
On July seventeenth they had another meeting, in which they l voted
to levy a tax of four hundred pounds to defray part of the charges
of building a meeting house ministry house and so forth, to pay
back all they had taken by distraint and to confirm all that the
building committee, chosen in 1706, had done and gave them full
power to finish and so forth.' ^
On the nineteenth of April, 1711, the precinct had another meet-
ing, and as the time of five years, during which they had deter-
mined, in February, 1706, to meet in the old meeting-house, had
expired, the majority proceeded to carry the remainder of the vote
into execution. To this end, they chose a committee of three, to
dispose of the ministry house and land near the old meeting-house,
and obtain a house and land near the new meeting-house, at Pipe-
stave hill. They also voted ' to take the seates and boards and
glass out of ye old meeting house to be improved in the new meet-
ing house and also to remove the old meeting house and sett it up
att Pipe-stave hill to be improved for a barn for the ministry in con-
venient time.'
It will readily be seen, that, as soon as the ' convenient time ' came,
to carry the preceding vote into effect, the minority would find it
impossible to c mayntain the publick ministry at the old meeting
house,1 as they had obligated themselves to do, July twelfth, 1710.
The c convenient time ' soon came, but not in the manner contem-
plated by the vote. Corroborated tradition informs us> that a party
of men from the upper part of the parish, came down in a riotous
and disorderly manner, in the night, tore down the ' old meeting
house,' and carried it off. The parish, however, March fifth, 1712,
on account of the ' difference amongst ye inhabitants about pulling
down ye old meeting house agreed to leave it to the determination
of three men and to sit down satisfied and rest contented with their
determination/ *
This, without doubt, increased the opposition of the minority,
who, being as determined not to submit, as the majority were to
govern, immediately commenced preparations to build a new meet-
ing-house. This undertaking, the majority determined to frustrate,
if possible. A committee of six persons, petitioned the general
court, in July, to take notice of the matter, and state that ' Samuel
Bartlet, Joseph Bailey, lieutenant Samuel Sayer, Josiah Sayer, John
Bartlet junior, John Bartlet third, Nathan Bartlet, Richard Bartlet
third, William Huse, Joshua Brown junior, Stephen Brown and
Skipper Lunt, their carpenter, and several others have cut and hailed
* Parish records.
180 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
timber in order to build a meeting house and intend to raise said
meeting house within one fortnight and set it at or near the east
end of the west precinct in Newbury as they inform us, not regard-
ing the late resolve of the great and general court,' and so forth,
and so forth.
' July 19^A, 1711. The court advised and directed for the preser-
vation of the peace of the town of Newbury that the persons herein
named and others concerned, desist their proceeding to the raysing
their meeting house until there be a hearing of the matter before
the court.'
To this advice and direction the minority paid no attention, but
went steadily on with their work. Fervet opus. This caused an-
other petition against them, in which a committee of the majority
state, August twenty-fourth, 1711, that 'they, [the minority,] had
raised and in part covered a meeting house and set it near the divi-
ding line, notwithstanding the advice and direction of the court.'
The court immediately ordered that ' Samuel Bartlet, John Ord-
way, deacon Joshua Brown, Joshua Bailey, Skipper Lunt, and
Penuel Titcomb be anew served by the sheriff with a process and
order of this court of nineteenth July, strictly forbidding them and
their associates proceeding in the work of their intended meeting
house and so forth, and that said persons be summoned to attend
this court on the second Wednesday of their fall session.'
On the twenty-third of October, 1711, they again petition the
court, 'to grant them leave to goe on with their meeting house
that they have begun, that the farthermost of forty families and
about thirty more of our neighbours are not above one and a half
miles from the meeting house we are about to erect and prepare
and that we deem it our duty to maintain the reverend Mr. Belcher,
(for ivhom we have a peculiar respect,) until we may be orderly
dismist? They also request the court '• to set them off as a precinct,
making Artichoke river the dividing line, and that there are now
ninety-six families above Artichoke river.'
In the general court records, under date of November second,
1711, is the following. ' Upon hearing the case of Newbury referring
to the house late pretended to be raised for the publick worship of
God on or near deacon Joshua Brown's land, contrary to the direc-
tion of this court, of which there is no present necessity. It is or-
dered that the building of the said house be not on any pretence
whatever further proceeded in but that the division of the town into
two precincts between the old meeting house and that upon Pipe-
stave hill be the present division of the auditory and is hereby
confirmed and established and all persons concerned are to yield
obedience accordingly, and that the disorders, that have been in the
proceedings about the said house in Brown's land, be referred to the
next sessions of peace in Essex.'
On November fourth, 1711, another petition was prepared to be
presented to the general court, signed by Abraham Merrill, Joshua
Brown, and sixty-five others. In it, among other things, they pray
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 181
the court 'to indulge us with your favorable grant of liberty to
proceed in ye finishing of our meeting house, and to call some
orthodox approved person to preach ye word of God to us there,
whom (notwithstanding ye usual objections framed on yt account
against us) we trust under God's blessing we shall so accommodate
as may be approved by your honors and satisfactory and comfortable
to himself. Thus praying,' and so forth.
This petition, which is now in my possession, was, of course, not
presented, probably on account of the peremptory order of the court,
passed November second, two days before their petition was drafted,
but which they probably had not seen. Here was a difficulty,
which the petitioners knew not how to obviate. They had erected
a meeting-house, in which they had intended to settle ' some ortho-
dox approved person,' but which the court would not allow them
either to use or finish. Up to this time, it is evident, from their own
petitions, that they had intended to settle a congregational minister
in the meeting-house, which they had erected for that purpose. The
manner in which a part of them became episcopalians, is best told
in the following extract from a narrative of the proceedings of the
precinct, from its commencement to 1734. It was found among the
papers of Mr. Nehemiah Bartlet, and was written many years ago.
1 Our fathers did not regard what the court sent to them, but had raised said
building and had got on to finish it. This honorable court sent on express to
forbid us going on under any pretence whatever. Resolved Pipe-stave hill to
be the place for the whole parish. Our people went to this court to show their
grievances. No relief. Met with a gentleman Mr. [John] Bridger, churchman,
telling a way to protect them, to come under the church of England he would protect
them. Some being acquainted with tJie church complied. Reverend Mr. Harris
came and preached, went home, sent Mr. Lampton, chaplain of a station
ship, some abiding with him, some went back to Pipe-stave hill,' and so forth.
This Mr. Bridger was ' surveyor of the king's woods,' as I learn
from several letters of his, between 1707 and 1715. In the latter
year, he was in London. In Judge Sewall's diary, I find the
following :
1 December 15th, 1707. Governor calls a council, reads a letter
from Mr. [John] Bridger, complaining of trees cut contrary to char-
ter. Mr. Bridger has been here above a twelvemonth.'
On the twenty-first of October, 1711, Mr. Bridger thus writes
from Portsmouth, to colonel Thomas Noyes, of Newbury :
4 Sir, pursuant to the governor's orders I do apply to you for a
guard of six or eight troopers for my guard while doing* my duty
as surveyor of his majesty's woods for America.
I am your most humble servant,
JOHN BRIDGER.'
From the same diary of Judge Sewall, I make the following
extract, namely :
1 Wednesday, February 27f/t. 1711-12. Joseph Bailey of Newbury, introduced
by Jlr. Myles, Mr. Harris and Mr. Bridger presented a petition to the governor
182 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
signed by Abraham Merrill, Joshua Brown, Samuel Bartlet, John Bartlet, Sam-
uel Sayer, Joseph Bailey, twenty-two in all, declaring that they were of the
pure episcopal church of England, would no longer persist with their mistaken
dissenting brethren, had sent to their diocesan, the bishop of London for a minis-
ter and desired protection.
1 February 28th. Governor dates his letter to ye episcopal church at Newbury.'
In another part of the same diary, he says, ' on the twenty-sev-
enth of February last 1711-12 I saw the certainty of what I could
not believe before namely deacon Merrill and deacon Brown and
twenty-two others and so forth. Now though it is well enough
known what was the spring of yr motion and notwithstanding their
aprons of figieaves they walk naked.'
Their petition to governor Dudley, and his reply, are as follows,
namely :
1 To his excellency Joseph Dudley, the humble petition of several freeholders
and the inhabitants of the town of Newbury.
I Whereas your excellency's petitioners have declared themselves members
of the church of England, and have raised a building, for the worship of almigh-
ty God according to the manner of service prescribed in the said church we
humbly desire your excellency's protection and encouragement in our just and
laudable undertakings. We are convinced that the church of England is a
pure orthodox church, and so are resolved to continue no longer in that separa-
tion, which has so unhappily prevailed among the mistaken and prejudiced
inhabitants of this country. This resolution has occasioned ye ill will of our
dissenting- brethren, who levy upon us more than ordinary rates towards the
maintenance of their minister, and other purposes of that nature, wrhich act of
theirs is a very great hardship and grievance to us, since we have addressed a
letter to our right reverend diocesan ye bishop of London to send us a minister,
which wre shall most gladly receive, but think ourselves under no obligation to
any other ; it being a thing unknown in her majesty's dominions yt ye members
of the church of England are obliged to contribute to the support of the dissent-
ing teachers. We therefore pray your excellency's favour,' that we may not be
molested for the future upon this account and beg leave to subscribe ourselves
Your excellency's most dutiful and obedient servants.'
The following is a copy of the reply :
'Boston, February 28th, 1711-12.
' I received yesterday an address and petition, signed by twenty-two freehold-
ers and inhabitants of the town of Newbury, setting forth that they are de-
clared members of the episcopal church of England, as by law established,
and that they have raysed a building for the service of God according to the
manner of service prescribed in the said church, desiring protection and encour-
agement therein accordingly, and that they have addressed the right reverend
the bishop of London to have a minister sent to them, and that thereupon they
may not be obliged to contribute to the subsistence of the other ministers of any
other profession as at large is set forth in this petition.
I 1 am also informed by the reverend Mr. Harris, one of the ministers of the
church of England in this place, that at their desire he has visited and preached
to that new congregation, and had a very considerable auditory, and that he
shall continue so to do, until their said address to the lord bishop of London
shall be considered and orders given therein. I am thereupon of opinion that
the said petitioners and others that joyne with them ought to be peaceably al-
lowed in their lawful proceedings therein for their good establishment ; and ought
not to be taxed or imposed upon for the support and maintenance of any other
public worship in the said town. — Of which I desire all persons concerned to
take notice accordingly. Given under my hand,
J. DUDLEY.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 183
At what precise time their letter was addressed to the bishop of
London, I have found no record. It must have been between
November fourth, 1711, and February twenty-eighth, 1712. I have
in my possession an original letter from the bishop of London, of
which the following is a copy.
'Sir,
1 1 am very glad of the assurance from you. how well your people are dis-
posed to hold communion with us ; and you need not doubt of all due encour-
agement so far as the difficulty of the times will allow, and therefore I should
be glad to hear what it is particularly, that may suffice for this encouragement ;
and in the mean time I shall endeavour to gett the best advice I can in refer-
ence to the deed. I pray God prosper your pious endeavours and pray believe
me Sr your most assured friend
and humble servant,
Fulham, April 19th, 1712.' HENRY LONDINI.
As the superscription of this letter is torn off, I am not able to
say to whom it was addressed.
The next allusion to the church that I find, is the following ex-
tract from a letter, written by the reverend Benjamin Colman, of
Boston, to bishop Kennet. It is dated November seventeenth, 1712.
' This last year a difference happened in the town of Newbury about placeing
their meeting house. The matter was brought before our general court, who
determined it according to the free vote and act of the precinct, whereby they
had obliged themselves to each other. Whereupon a number of them declare
themselves for the church of England. Many of them I will suppose persons
of sobriety and virtue only in a pett and to save their rate to their aged and
worthy minister, Mr. Belcher, utterly ignorant of the church they declare for,
nor offended in the least with the form of worship or discipline, which they
turn from ; and as wide herein from their old pastor's spirit and principles ; which
are as catholick as can well be found among ministers of any denomination; being
till now among the most narrow and rigid dissenters, who would before this have
disowned me in particular for the use of the Lord's prayer, reading the scrip-
tures and a freer admission to the Lord's table, than has been generally prac-
tised in these churches.' *
The lines in the above letter, printed in italics, are entirely omit-
ted by the reverend James Morss in his century sermon, delivered
December thirty-first, 1837, the words ' difference,' and ' turn from,'
are changed to ' difficulty,' and ' had observed,' and the words ' they
were,' before ' most narrow,' added.
Since the compilation of the foregoing narrative, the following
letter, or part of a letter, written by the reverend Matthias Plant, and
published in the Christian Witness, January twenty-eighth, 1842,
has been pointed out to me. The date is not given, nor the name
of the person, to whom it was addressed. It was obtained, as I am
informed, by the reverend doctor Hawkes, during his recent visit to
England, and is undoubtedly accurate in its statements.
'NEWBURYPORT. We copy the following from the Church Record; and, as it
gives some interesting incidents in the early history of the ancient church in
Newburyport, we presume it will be acceptable to our readers :
* Turell's life of Colman, pp. 124, 5.
184 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
c First, the history of building the church, et cetera. It was erected for a
meeting-house, in 1711, by the inhabitants, about forty-five families in number,
but being opposed -by a greater body of people within the same division or par-
ish, who had erected another meeting-house, they complained of them to the
j ustices of the peace, who committed some of them to prison, and others were
compelled; for their safety, to appeal to the governor and council, where they
met with no better treatment, for erecting a meeting-house contrary to law ; (for,
according to the laws of the province, the major part appoints the place where
the meeting-house shall be built.) Mr. Bridger, of Portsmouth, in New England,
having information of the severity used towards these people, came to Newbury,
and told the inhabitants that if they would convert their intended meeting-house
into a church, he would engage them protection from the governor. They
complying with his motion, (after the perusal of several church books,) he ob-
tained their easement. The salary is weekly contributions by the auditors ;
about twenty pounds per annum. The materials with which the church is built
are wood. The dimensions of it; fifty feet long and thirty wide, but accommo-
dated with no house or glebe.
c Second, the number of hearers was about one hundred, who at first frequented
the church ; (for many who contributed towards building the church never con-
sented to convert it to that use.) Their condition of fortunes is like unto our
ordinary farmers, who rent thirty or forty pounds per annum. They commonly
add some trade to their farming. In matters of religion, dissenters. Their set-
tlements dispersed after the manner of our cottages, upon commons, some per-
haps having thirty to sixty acres of land. Some of my hearers live in the adja-
cent towns, from two to six miles distance. Marblehead is the nearest church,
thirty-two miles remote. My constant auditors are from one hundred and fifty to
two hundred, or thereabouts, and daily increase, as doth my salary. Their for-
tunes are no otherwise improved than by their lands becoming more valuable,
which is occasioned by people becoming more numerous in the country.
MATTHIAS PLANT.'
At what time the reverend Mr. Lampton came to Newbury, I
have not been able to ascertain. It must, however, have been sub-
sequent to twenty-seventh of February, 1712, as, in the petition to
the governor, of that date, we find the expression, ' send us a min-
ister, which we shall most gladly receive.'
From a letter in the library of the American Antiquarian Society,
at Worcester, written by the reverend Christopher Toppan, to Cot-
ton Mather, November twenty-eighth, 1712, I make the following
extract :
1 Perceiving that some of the ceremonies were camels too big for them at first
to swallow, he [Mr. Lampton] told them they should be left to their liberty as
to kneeling at the sacrament, baptising with the sign of the cross and so forth.
This has been wonderfully taking with them and a great" means to encourage
them in their factious proceedings.7
Notwithstanding the ' opinion,' that the petitioners of February
twenty-seventh ' ought not to be taxed ' for the support of the con-
gregational ministers, the precinct ' voted fourteenth of April that
captain Hugh March should go to the general court and ask advice
of them about gathering Mr. Belcher's rate and the meeting house
rate of those persons that pretend to sett up ye episcopal way of
worship,' and on October seventh, desired captain March to proceed
in ' that affaire.'
As to what was done 'in that affaire,' no record informs us.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 185
March 5th. The west parish held a meeting, on account « of the
difference among the inhabitants about pulling down the old meet-
ing house, selling the parsonage house and land and so forth, and
agreed to leave the above mentioned particulars to lieutenant John
White of Haverhill, lieutenant John Foot of Amesbury and Mr.
Thomas Kimball of Bradford, promising to set down satisfyed and
rest contested with their determination.'^
1713
1 February 3d. Deacon Abraham Merrill, deacon Joshua Brown
[and six others] were requested by a committee of the church to
give their reasons for absenting themselves from the communion of
the church.' Their reasons were :
' First, we do count that you acted illegally in disposing of a
house, that you never built.
4 Second, for violently pulling down our meeting house and car-
rying it away contrary to our minds and consent.
' third, taking away from our brethren and neighbours part of
their estates by distress/ and so forth.f
1714.
January 15th. The west parish agreed to concur with the
church in calling the reverend John Tufts to settle with them in the
ministry.
March 30th. The parish i voted to give the reverend John Tufts
eighty pounds a year till he settles and keeps house, and then ninety
pounds a year.'
April 2d. The parish < voted to free all that are, or shall be, for
the episcopal way of worship and also all quakers.'
April 5th. The town i voted to grant liberty to Mr. Benjamin
Woodbridge and Mr. Henry Somerby to cut timber on Plum island
to finish two wharfs with.'
June. The ferry at Holt's rocks, was settled for forty years on
Newbury and Haverhill by the court.
June 3Qth. Reverend John Tufts ordained.
In judge Sewall's diary, I find the following, which is all I have
been able to find on the subject :
' December 25th. Mrs. Bradstreet of Newbury, her killing her
negro woman [is] much tallied of.'
In this year, the reverend John Tufts, of the west parish, pub-
lished a small work on music, entitled, 'a very plain and easy
introduction to the art of singing psalm tunes, with the cantus or
trebles of twenty-eight psalm tunes Contrived in such a manner as
* Parish records. t Church records.
24
186 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
that the learner may attain the skill of singing them with the greatest
ease and speed imaginable, by the reverend Mr. John Tufts. (Price
sixpence or five shillings per dozen.'
Small as this book must have been, to be afforded for sixpence
per copy, it was at this time a great novelty, it being the first publi-
cation of the kind in New England, if not in America. As late as
1700, there were not more than four or five tunes known, in many
of the congregations in this country, and in some, not more than
two or three, and even those were sung altogether by rote. These
tunes were York, Hackney, Saint Mary's, Windsor, and Martyrs'.
To publish at this time a book on music, containing the enormous
number of twenty-eight psalm tunes, (which were in three parts,
and purely choral,) although it was only a reprint of Ravenscroft,
which was first published in 1618, was a daring innovation on the
old time-honored customs of the country, and the attempt to teach
singing by note, thus commenced by Mr. Tufts, was most strenu-
ously resisted, and for many years, by that large class of persons,
everywhere to be found, who believe that an old error is better than
a new truth. Many, at that time, imagined, that fa, sol, la, was, in
reality, nothing but popery in disguise. A writer in the New Eng-"
land Chronicle, in 1723, thus observes. 'Truly I have a great
jealousy that if we once begin to sing by rule, the next thing will
be to pray by rule and preach by rule and then comes popery.1
In 1721, reverend Thomas Walter, of Roxbury, published a book
on music, entitled ' the grounds and rules of musick explained,
or an introduction to the singing by note fitted to the meanest
capacity.'
In the preface, Mr. W. says: 'the tunes now in use in our
churches, when they came out of the hands of 'the composers of
them, were sung according to the rules of the scale of musick, but
are now miserably tortured and twisted, and quavered in some
churches into a horrid medley of confused and disorderly noises.
Oar tunes are for want of a standard to appeal to in our singing,
left to the mercy of every unskilful throat to chop and alter, twist
and change, according to their infinitely divers and no less odd
humours and fancies. No two churches sing alike. At present
we are confined to eight or ten tunes and in some congregations to
little more than half that number.'
September 1st. Town ' voted to give forty shillings for every
grown wolf and ten shillings apiece for wolf's whelps killed within
the towne.'
March ll£/z. A highway, of two rods broad, was laid out, from
Kent street to Ordway's lane, now Market street.
March \kth. John Emery, Archelaus Woodman^ Stephen
Emery, and Benjamin Sawyer, petitioned the town to grant them
' liberty to set up a fence across the way to Turkey hill that we may
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 187
keep our sheep from running away before we have sheared them.'
The petition was granted.
May 3d. ' Town voted to give five pounds per head for every
grown wolfe, which shall be killed within the town of Newbury.'
May 20th. Mr. John Bridger sent a letter 'to the churchwardens
and vestry at Newbury,' from London, by Mr. Henry Lucas, who
had been appointed their minister, and says : ' I have no reason to
doubt he will fully answer your expectation and advance the church
amongst you to the praise and glory of almighty God and to the
edification of many souls,' and so forth.
October 27th. A committee of the west end precinct church,
was appointed, ' to discourse with certain members of the church,
who had withdrawn from their communion and see if something
could not be said or done to draw them to our communion again,
and if we cannot draw them by fair means, then to determine what
means to take with them.' ^
1716-
January 24:th. A day of humiliation was kept by the church in
the west precinct, for several reasons ; one was, * that God would
prevent ye spread of errors in this place, especially the errors of the
quakers.' f
We, at the present day, can hardly conceive of the feelings enter-
tained and manifested by our ancestors, against the quakers. In
the law, passed by Massachusetts, in 1658, the fourth section thus
commences. ' Whereas there is a cursed sect of hereticks lately
risen up in the world, which are commonly called quakers,' and so
forth. In 1661, another law was passed, ' to prevent the intrusions
of the quakers, who do like rogues and vagabonds come in upon
us,' and so forth. In 1658, Robert Adams, of Newbury, was in-
dicted for attending a friends' meeting, in Salem, at the house of
Nicholas Phelps, to hear William Brend and William Leddra. In
1680, governor Simon Bradstreet thus writes to ' the right honorable
the lords of his majesty's privy council.' l We have no beggars
and few idle vagabonds, except a few quakers from Road Island,
that much molest us.' In 1704, Judge Sewall thus writes. ' 1 told
Mr. [Nicholas] Noyes of Salem of ye quaker meeting at Samuel
Sayers and of ye profaneness of /ye young Hoags professing that
heresy.' These 'young Hoags,' were all sons of John Hoag, and
resided in the west parish of Newbury. In this year, [1716,] says
judge Sewall, there was a ' quakers' dispute at Newbury.'
In the account book of Stephen Jaques, I find the following,
namely :
' October 21s£, 1716. On the sabath day about eleven of the clock in sarman
time it grue so dark that one could not see a parson from one end of the metting
* West parish records. t Church records.
188 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
hous to the other except it was against a window, nor could know another four
seats off, nor read a word in a psalm book. It continued near half an hour.
Sum ministers sent for candels, sum set still, till it was lighter. Sum was ready
to think ye world was at an end ; all seemed to be consarned. It was a time
when ye air was very full of smoke. It came dayly down \vhen it was a south
west wind, the wind now being as I remember at est, which might bring ye
smoak back, and dark clouds pass over, as it being cloudy weather. I was an
eie witness of this myself.
STEPHEN JAQUES.'
For a similar account of the same darkness, see Philosophical
Transactions, number four hundred and twenty-third.
In October of this year, ' governor Shute went from Boston to
Portsmouth, was met by the Newbury troop, conducted to lieutenant
governor Dummer's house, where his excellency was finely enter-
tained that night and morning.' ^
J| In judge Sewall's diary, under date of June twenty-second, I find
1 the following. ' I essayed to prevent negroes and Indians being
\/ I rated with horses and cattle, but could not succeed.'
'-—^Instances like the following, were formerly frequent. In the
inventory of the estate of Samuel Morgaridge, who died in 1754,
I find,
' Item, three negroes, ...... £133, 6s. Sd.
t Item, flax, ....... 12, 2, 8.'
In the inventory of Henry Rolfe's estate, taken in April, 1711, I
find the following, namely,
' Fifteen sheep, old and young, . . . . . £3, 15s.
' An old gun, ....... 2
1 An old negroe man, ...... 10, 0
In Moses Gerrish's inventory, I find,
6 Barley, Indian corn, and oats, .... £10.
4 An Indian slave, ...... 20.'
From the tax book of William Titcomb, junior, I make the
following extract. This year the number of ratable polls in New-
bury was six hundred and eighty-five, of which four hundred and
thirty-seven were in the first parish, one hundred and ninety-six in
the west parish and fifty-two in the falls parish. In August, a val-
uation of the town's property was taken. Plough land and meadow
were estimated at twelve shillings per acre, pasture land at six shil-
lings. The whole valuation of property, real and personal, was nine
thousand and sixty-two pounds, and one shilling.
In 1712 and 1713, the number and valuation stood thus :
1712, polls 584, estate £7857.
1713, « 613, " 7790.
The province rate was 5s. per poll, and 6d. on the pound.
The town rate was 2, 3d. « « and 2 1-2 " « "
Mr. Toppan's rate was 2, 6d. « " and 3 " " "
* News Letter.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 189
1717-
This year is rendered memorable, by the unusual quantity of
snow, which fell on the twentieth and twenty-fourth of February.
In these two storms, the earth was covered with snow, from ten to
fifteen feet, and, in some places, to twenty feet, deep. Many one-
story houses were covered, and, in many places, paths were dug,
from house to house, under the snow. Many visits were made,
from place to place, by means of snow shoes, the wearers having
first stepped out of their chamber windows, on these excursions.
4 Love,' we know, l laughs at locksmiths,' and, of course, will disre-
gard a snow-drift. Tradition informs us, that a Mr. Abraham
Adams, wishing to visit his 'ladye love,' Miss Abigail Pierce,
mounted his snow shoes, took a three miles' walk, for that purpose,
and entered her residence as he left his own, namely, by the cham-
ber window. He was the first person the family had seen from
abroad, for more than a week. Cotton Mather has left in writing
a particular account of ' the great snow,1 and the many marvels and
prodigies attending it.
Stephen Jaques, in his account, thus writes. c The year 1717-18
aftar this darkness * was the sadest time for sickness. A mortal
feaver spred throw ye country and in about three months time it
made twenty widows, besides many other parsons swept away.'
1718.
May \\th. i The selectmen were desired not to grant approbation
for above five taverns and not above three retailers of strong drink.'f
Town voted ' to invite the neighbouring towns in the county of
Essex to join with us in endeavouring to obtaine a dividing of ye
county of Essex into two counties.' f
June 23d. Richard, son of captain Richard Gerrish, of Ports-
mouth, was dro\vned at the end of Long wharf.
September 24th. The town granted to Moses Chase, Abraham
Annis, Joseph Pike, William Morse, Benjamin Smith, Abiel Kelly,
Jonathan Kelly, John Swett, John Carr, and Joshua Bayley, on
their petition, c eighty rods of the flatts above Holt's rocks to fish on,
on condition they pay as an acknowledgement to ye town two
salmon per year one to Mr. Toppan, ye other to Mr. Tufts, if they
catch them.1
The value of salmon at this time, may be estimated, by the fol-
lowing letter to Anthony Morse.
1 Mr. Morse,
This is to desire ye favonr of you to gett me one, two or three or more of
ye first sammon yt can be had this year. I am willing to give a good price and
* October twenty-first, 1716. t Town records.
190 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
a great price rather than not have it and will pay a man and horse for bringing
it to content, but observe he do n't bring for any body else at ye same time. If
there be but one single sammon, send away forthwith. If more, then it will help
ye extraordinary charge, but do n't let them be kept till almost spoiled in hopes
of more. Pray give my sarvice to your father Moody and I desire his help in
this affair. If you have success let ye bearer call at Mr. Woodbridge's and at
captain Corner's in his way to me, for they may happen at ye same time to
have some. I shall take it very kindly if you will be mindfull.
I am your friend
H. WHITTON.
Boston. March twenty-first, 1728.'
1719-
March 6th. Cottle's lane, now South street, was laid out, < one
rod and a half wide from High street to Merriinack river.'
March Wth. Town voted to give Mr. John Woodbridge, forty
pounds ' for the year ensuing to keep a free school for latin scholars,
readers, writers and cypherers, and sixty pounds for maintaining
schools in the remote parts of the town.'
This year, potatoes were introduced, by some emigrants from
Ireland. They were raised in the garden of Mr. Nathaniel Walker,
esquire, of Andover. Tradition informs us, that the first which
were raised in Newbury, grew on the land, once owned by Henry
Sewall, lately by Mr. Stephen Noyes, and now by Mr. William
Sargent, but in what year this valuable root first made its ap-
pearance in Newbury, no record informs us. In 1732, I find, in a
Mr. Morgaridge's journal, ' half a bushel of pertaters, six shillings,'
and in the same year, ' one peak of pertaters.' In the diary of a
farmer of Lynn, he mentions ' patatas,' in 1733. In 1737, the rev-
erend Thomas Smith, of Portland, says, in his diary, ' there is not
a peck of potatoes in the whole eastern country.' In 1739, Robert
Adams chronicles the sale of a bushel and a half of 'pertaters.'
Their introduction into general use, was slow, and, so late as 1750,
should any person/ have raised so large a quantity as five bushels,
great would have been the inquiry among his neighbors, in what
manner he could dispose of such an abundance. They were, at
first, raised in beds, like onions.
May 12lh. The town voted * that all the country roads should
be four rods broad, if they are not now.'
In the latter end of this year, the people of New England were
much excited and alarmed, at the appearance of the northern lights,
which were to them a novelty, and were supposed to betoken some
dire calamity. In the journal of Mr. Stephen Jaques, under the
date of December eleventh, 1719, he thus writes.
1 December llth, 1719. Between seven and eight o'clock at night, the moone
being neare the full, it might want two days, there appeared in ye> north above
like a rainbow, but it was white. It seemed to reach from norwest to northeast,
and it was more strait in the middle than a rainbow. It seemed to be eight
foot wide. It looked like a cloud. There appeared in the north clouds, which
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 191
looked very red and seemed to flie up allmost overhead, as if they had been
driven with a farse wind and then parted to the east and so vanished away.
The white cloud or bow remained an hour or two. Between ten and eleven
there appeared a cloud, which came from ye norwest like a mist. We could
see the stars through it. It was as red as blood or crimson, but not a thick red.
My eies saw it.
STEPHEN JAQUES.'
Lewis, in his history of Lynn, says, ' the northern lights were
first observed this year on the seventeenth of December.' As the
moon was ' neare the full,' any person, with an almanac for 1719,
can easily ascertain which is correct, December eleventh, or
December nineteenth.
1720.
' This year,' says doctor Holmes, in his annals, l tea began to be
used in New England.' It must, however, have been used in small
quantities, many years before. The first tea kettles were small
articles, made of copper, and first used in Plymouth, in 1702. The
first cast iron tea kettles, were made in Plympton, now Carver,
between 1760 and 1765. < When ladies,' says Lewis, ' went to
visiting parties, each one carried her tea cup, saucer and spoon.
The tea cups were of 'the best china, very small, containing as much
as a common wine glass.' %•
From an unpublished letter, written in England, in the year 1740,
January first, I extract the following.
•' They are not much esteemed now that will not treat high and gossip about.
Tea is now become the darling of our women. Almost every little tradesman's
wife must set sipping tea for an hour or more in a morning, and it may be again
in the afternoon, if they can get it, and nothing will please them to sip it out of
but china ware, if they can get it. They talk of bestowing thirty or forty shil-
lings upon a tea equipage, as they call it. There is the silver spoons, silver
tongs, and many other trinkets that I cannot name.'
' 1720 March ye first about half an hour after eight of ye clock
there appeared a thick strack from ye northwest to ye southest all-
most right ovar my head like an arch and it seemed to be about
eight or ten foot in breadth. It was like a very thick black smoke
of a chimney, and seemed very low. It began in ye norwest to
vanish and disappear and so by degrees to pass away, the moon
about half an hour high a going down.' Stephen Jacques* journal.
i August 20th. 'Tis said Mr. Lucas, the church of England
minister, cut his own throat at Newbury. However the minister of
Marblehead set a good face on it, had the corpse carried into the
church and preached a funeral sermon.' f
4 November 24=th. There appeared on this day about eight of the
clock at night a light in ye north almost like that, which appeared
the last year, it being red, but not so much. The Friday night
* History of Lynn. | Judge Sewall's diary.
192 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
before there appeared in ye north between seven and eight a light
like the day light, when it breaks three quarters of an hour high.'
Stephen Jaques* journal.
1721.
September 20th. The town chose deacon Nathaniel Coffin, en-
sign William Titcomb, and lieutenant Henry Rolfe, to receive the
town's part of the fifty thousand pounds, granted by Massachusetts,
thirteenth of July, 1720, and let it out, on good security, in sums
not less than ten pounds, nor more than thirty pounds, at five per
centum, for no longer period than one year at a time. For the use of
this money, the town was to pay the state four per centum. This was
the famous ' land bank ' scheme, as it was called, which proved so
injurious to the estates of many individuals.
In judge Sewall's diary, of this year, I find the following.
' Thomas Hale [was] made a justice. I opposed it, because there
are five in Newbury already and he had lately kept an ordinary and
sold rum. I was answered he had laid it down. I fear it will not
be for the honour of the persons, nor of the governor and council,
nor for the welfare [of the town] unless perhaps dwelling on the
neck he may give check to traveling on the Lord's day.' Within
the limits of ' ould Newberry,' there are now forty-four justices.
September 21st. This year, the small-pox prevailed in New
England. More than eight hundred died in Boston, where it began.
Newbury sent twenty pounds to the poor of Boston, in wood.
The town's stock of ammunition was, this year, examined, and
found to consist of seven"bags and two casks of bullets, and eight
casks of powder, consisting of five hundred and forty-three pounds
of bullets, and three hundred and fifty-seven pounds of powder.
' The fever began at Rowley and many peopel dyed. The like
was not known in that town.' #
September 17th. The first parish in Newbury, gave their assent
to the formation of another parish, in Newbury, which was formed
September nineteenth, and was called the third parish in Newbury,
now first in Newburyport.
1723.
' February 25th. An unusual high tide, higher by twenty inches
than was ever known before. At the same time the sea at Hamp-
ton broke over its banks for some miles together and continued
running for several hours.' f
* Stephen Jaques' journal. t Cotton Mather.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 193
February 25th. ' Second parish bought of deacon William
Morss for seven pounds ten shillings half an acre of land near
Swett's ferry, and a quarter of an acre of Ezekiel Hale for a bury-
ing place.' Swett's ferry was near Holt's rocks, now Rock's bridge.
' March 12th. A committee of three was chosen to compute the
cost of an alms nouse and to view a place ' to set it, and so forth.1^
April 19th. Mr. Daniel Holbrook died. He had been called to
assist in the work of the ministry, and would have been ordained,
had his life been spared. * He was taken sick in the pulpit on Sun-
day April fourteenth, after he had commenced preaching and was
obliged to leave the meeting house.' f
i This year,' says Stephen Jaques, in his journal, 'was the sadest
year as ever was known in Newbury, for in ye month of April there
died near forty parsons, most of them grown up, sometimes two a
day, sometimes three a day, young men and wimmen. About the
twenty-fourth day of the month the town capt a fast. There was
nine parsons lay dead that day and I do believe fifty or sixty or
more lay sick and it pleased God to hear the prayers of his people
and to ansar them in a wonderfull mannar, for the nues was the
next morning they were all better, and so it was, for very fue dyed
aftarward. . O that men would praise the Lord for his goodness
and his wonderfull works to ye children of men.'
4 May 3d, 1723. Newbury. Time of health now. No person
that I know of having been lately seized with the distemper that
hath proved so mortal.' f
On occasion of this mortality, John Calef, son of John Calef of
Newbury, aged nineteen, wrote and published three elegies, which
a writer, thus notices, in the New England Chronicle, of August
fifth, 1723.
' It is with the utmost concern I would now represent to you the hard fate,
which our countrymen are like to suffer, who happen to die with a good name.
The dead have been long enough abused and the living disturbed by the very
dregs of the college and the plough in their elegiac performances insomuch
that some considerable persons amonsr us have beerAonstrained to do but little
good and appear useless all their lifetime, to avoid the persecution of an elegy
at their death. We have indeed flattered ourselves that it would be better living
and better dying for all honest men in New England than it has been for a hun-
dred years past, but to our mortification we find that this spirit of versification
has spread itself among the neat cattle, no less than three elegies having been
lately wrote and published by Mr. John Calf of Newbury, one of which is upon
the death of the reverend Mr. Daniel Holbrook of Newbury, who was taken sick
on the day he designed to preach madam Fryer's funeral sermon ; and how well
this bleating Calf has performed his task and embalmed the memory of the de-
ceased the following lines may shew.
' On sabbath day he went his way,
As he was used to do,
God:s house unto, that they might know
What he had for to shew.
When he came there he went to prayer,
But veiy faint he spoke,
* Town records. t New England Chronicle.
25
194 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
His mortal wound inclosed round,
And gave a fatal stroke.
His hat he took, his head he shook,
A mournful sigh he gave,
A shepherd true, the flock went through,
Not daunted to the grave.
He often said, when that he laid,
His dying bed upon,
Distracted he should surely be,
Before his breath was gone.
God's holy will he must fulfil,
But it was his desire
For to declare the sermon rare
Concerning madam Fryer.
A man in pain doth pray in vain,
Unless he prays to God
To him let 's pray both night and day,
To ease his heavy rod.'
1 His second performance is a mournful elegy occasioned by the great mor-
tality in the family of Mr. Henry Clark of Newbury, which is chiefly made up
of the days of the month and ages of the persons deceased. And after he has
barbarously buried the dead one after another as they were born? he cries out
in a rapture
' If such vines wither well may we,
Whose bodies so corrupted be.
( His third set of jingles is called a funeral elegy occasioned by the death of
Mr. Edmund Titcomb, at the close of which he has a few lines to shew that
death is certain, but the time when very uncertain, and to make his argument
good, he mentions the death of Sampson and says 'no body can deny but that he
died.7 But methinks this is but a poor way of arguing for allowing it to be true
that Sampson did die, yet it is as true that he died by his own hands and some
are of opinion that if he had not been so foolishly heroic as to pull his house
down about his ears he might have lived till this time.
I To omit any further remarks on this elegiographer, "T think it necessary to in-
form the world that since the publication of his elegies he has been inspired
with a great desire of learning, and in order to prepare himself for college he
has made a vigorous attempt upon his accidence and could boast before two
credible witnesses that he had got it all by heart twice in a week.
I 1 hear his next trial of skill will be on Cole's dictionary, and that he promises
to get that by heart in three months' time, which if he does, it will be the
interest of all gentlemen and ladies, deacons and ministers to beware of dying in
good terms with his calve' s head and pluck, for then no doubt
c His brains will issue forth and as they fly
Congeal into a mournful elegy,
The sense of which, if mortal man can dim in
His verse may raise the dead or kill the living.
Tibuttus.'
This year there was a ship-yard, and ships were built, by Thorla's
bridge.
1724.
The war with the Norridgewock Indians, which began in 1721,
was this year ended, by the death of Sebastian Ralle, the French
Jesuit. He was killed by lieutenant [Richard] Jaques, of Newbury.
This information we obtain from Hutchinson, who obtained from
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 195
4 captain [Jeremiah] Moulton a minute and circumstantial account
of the ' battle. He says, i captain Moulton, with about eighty men
reached Norridgewock about three P. M. August twelfth and com-
menced the attack. After driving the Indians (about sixty men
and one hundred women and children) over the river and killing
many, they returned to the town and found the Jesuit in one of the
wigwams firing upon a few of our men, who had not pursued after
the enemy. Moulton had given orders not to kill the Jesuit, but by
his firing from the wigwam one of our men being wound, a lieu-
tenant Jaques stove open the door and shot him through the head.
Jaques excused himself to his commanding officer, alleging that
Ralle was loading his gun and declared that he would neither give
nor take quarter.'
On July sixth of this year, reverend Christopher Toppan, of
Newbury, wrote a long letter to Cotton Mather, who, if any thing
strange, prodigious, or unnatural happened, was sure to obtain an
account of it. From this letter, now in the library of the American
Antiquarian Society, in. Worcester, I make the following extract.
c Concerning the amphisbena.* as soon as I received your commands I made
diligent enquiry of several persons, who saw it after it was dead, but they could
give me no assurance of its having two heads, as they did not strictly examine
it, not calling it the least in question because it seemed as really to have two
heads as one. They directed me for further information to the person I before
spoke of, who was out of town, and to the persons, who saw it alive and killed
it, which were two or three lads, about twelve or fourteen, one of which a pert
sensible youngster told me yt one of his mates running towards him cryed out
there was a snake with two heads running after him, upon which he run to him,
and the snake getting into a puddle of water, he with a stick pulled him out,
after which it came towards him, and as he went backwards or forward, soe the
snake would doe likewise. After a little time, the snake upon his striking at
him, gathered up his whole body into a sort of quoil, except both heads^ which
kept towards him, and he distinctly saw two mouths and two stings (as they are
vulgarly called) which stings or tongues it kept putting forth after the usual
manner of snakes, till he killed it Thus far the lad. This day understanding
the person mentioned before was returned. I went to him, and asked him about
the premises, he told me he narrowly examined the snake being brought to him
by the lads after it was dead and he found two distinct heads one at each end,
opening each with a little stick, in each of which he saw a sting or tongue, and
that each head had two eyes, throwing it down and going away, upon second
thoughts he began to mistrust his own eyes, as to what he had seen, and there-
fore returned a second time to examine it, if possible, more strictly, but still
found it as before. This person is so credible that I can as much believe him
as if I had seen him myself. He tells me of another man yt examined it as he
did, but I cannot yet meet with him.
1 Postscript. Before ensealing I spoke with the other man, who examined the
amphisbena (and he is also a man of credit) and he assures me ytit had really
two heads, one at each end. two mouths, two stings or tongues and so forth.
• Sir I have nothing more to add but that he may have a remembrance in your
prayers, who is, Sir, your most humble servant
CHRISTOPHER TOPPAN.'
' A smart close winter, ending February twenty-eighth, 1725.' f
* Amphisbena, a snake with two heads, one where the tail should have been,
t Reverend T. Smith's diary.
196 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1725.
This year, the third parish in Newbury, now first in Newbury-
port, erected their meeting-house, of which, the earliest notice that
I find, is the following, from a letter, written by William Moody,
of By field, to his brother, judge Sewall, dated seventeenth of Feb-
ruary, 1725. He thus writes : ' our people at towne are going to
build another meeting house, but intend to set it so nigh to Mr.
Toppan's, that I fear it will make great contention. Newbury are
great sufferers this day for what have happened by contending about
the place of a meeting house.'
February 25th. The town ' voted that a towne house should be
built and should be set at the upper end of Greenleaf's lane,' %
[now State street.]
June 25th. On this day, the third parish meeting-house, now first
in Newburyport, was dedicated. The sermon was preached by the
reverend John Tufts, of Newbury. The house was at first forty-five
by sixty feet, in length and breadth, but, in i736, was enlarged, thus
making it sixty by eighty feet. It stood in what is now the market
place, in Newburyport, the steeple fronting the river. The pulpit,
which was on the westerly side, standing near where the town
pump now stands.
August 3d. The reverend John Lowell was called to the work
of the ministry, having preached to the people from June twenty-
seventh.
August 3\st. ' About midnight a company of rioters assembled
on horseback and with crow bars broke the doors, bolts and locks
of the gaol in Newbury and took off on spare horses, Isaac Brown
and Hugh Ditson charged with capital offences. Governor William
Dummer offered a reward of fifty pounds for their apprehension.' f
November '30th. A committee, consisting of ' lieutenant colonel
Richard Kent, major Joseph Gerrish, deacon Caleb Moody, lieuten-
ant Charles Pierce and captain John March were appointed to use
all proper means with others of other towns for to get the county of
Essex divided into two counties.' 3k
In November, the general court ' ordered a committee to view
the situation of the westerly end of the first parish.' This committee
met December first, and reported December eighth.
December 29th. i The third parish voted to give Mr. John Low-
ell one hundred and thirty pounds yearly salary and two hundred
to build him a house.'
The general court confirmed the dividing line of the third parish,
which was ' Chandler's lane, [now Federal street,] thence to captain
John March's farm, [now Samuel Thurlow's,] thence to the line of
the second parish,' with this condition, that those who wished, might
remain with the first parish. About thirty remained. Eight fami-
lies, south of Chandler's lane, wished to belong to the new society.
* Town records. t News Letter.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 197
1726-
January 12th. The third congregational church in Newbury,
was this day gathered, by the reverend Caleb Gushing, of Salisbury.
Twenty-two of the male members had been dismissed, January
second, from the first church in Newbury, for that purpose. The
day was observed as a day of fasting and prayer. A sermon was
preached by the reverend Moses Hale, of By field.
January 19th. The reverend John Lowell was ordained pastor
of the third church in Newbury. Sermon by the reverend Thomas
Foxcroft, of Boston.
1727-
January 17th. The town ' voted that a work house and a house
of correction should be built.' ^
March 22d. First parish 'voted to give the third parish the
old bell.'
3Iay 10th. A highway, of two rods wide, was laid out, < from
ye country road near to his honor the lieutenant governor Dummer's
house to the parsonage land in Byneld parish on the land of John
Dummer esquire, Mr. Richard Dummer and Mr. Joseph Noyes.' *
May 23d. The third parish < voted to get a bell weighing about
four hundred pounds.'
July 25th. c Town voted to make a good and sufficient way over
Ash swamp — said way to be covered with suitable wood of thir-
teen feet in length and the wood to be well covered with gravel all
across fhe swarnp,' * and so forth.
September 16th. ' A mighty tempest of wind and rain, which
did much hurt by land and sea.' f
4 In the month of September.' says Stephen Jaques, < on Saturday
in ye afternoon ye wind began to be very strong and increased more
in the night. It blew down and brake six trees in my ould orchard
and trees all over ye woods. There never was ye like known. It
twisted young walnut trees in ye midst. It raised a great tide,
which swept away near two hundred load of hay, that was in swath.'
As the earthquake, which happened in October of this year, was
one of the most violent ever felt in New England, and as, according
to Hutchinson and other writers, ' the shock wTas greater at Newbury
and other towns on Merrimack river than in any other part of Mas-
sachusetts.' I shall be a little more minute, in my extracts from ac-
counts written in Newbury at the time. From the records of the
episcopal church in Newburyport, kept by the reverend Matthias
Plant, I make the following extract.
c October 29th, 1727. Being the Lord's day at forty minutes past ten the same
evening, there was a most terrible, sudden and amazing earthquake, which did
* Town records. t Reverend Mr. Phillips.
198 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
damage to the greatest part of the neighbourhood, shook and threw down tops
of chimnies and in many places the earth opened a foot or more. It continued
very terrible by frequently bursting and shocking our houses and lasted all that
week (the first being the loudest shock, and eight more that immediately fol-
lowed, louder than the rest that followed) sometimes breaking with loud claps
six times or oftener in a day and as often in the night until Thursday in the said
week and then somewhat abated. Upon Friday in the evening and about
midnight, and about break of day and on Saturday there were three very
loud claps. We also had it on Saturday, the sabbath, and on Monday morning
about ten, tho' much abated in the noise and terror. Upon the Tuesday follow-
ing, November seventh, about eleven o'clock a very loud clap upon every day
or night more or less three, four, six times each day or night and upon the
twelfth being the Lord's day twice from betwixt three to half past four, in all
which space of time some claps were loud, others seemingly at a distance and
much abated. Upon Monday two hours before day a loud burst and at half
past two in the afternoon another burst was heard somewhat loud. On the nine-
teenth about ten at night a very loud shock and another about break of day,
somewhat here abated, but at Haverhill a very loud burst, making their houses
rock, as that over night did with us. It was Lord's day in the evening. It hath
been heard twice since much abated. The very first shock opened a new spring
by my father Samuel Bartlet's house in the meadow and threw up in the lower
grounds in Newbury several loads of white sand. After that some loud claps,
shocking our houses. On December seventeenth, about half an hour after ten
being Lord's day at evening a very loud burst, shocking our houses. Another
about four the next morning abated.'
•
The next account, is one written by Stephen Jaques, and is as
follows, namely :
t On the twenty-ninth day of October between ten and eleven it being sabath
day night there was a terabel earthquake. The like was never known in this
land. It came with a dreadful roreing, as if it was thunder, and then a pounce
like grate guns two or three times close one after another. It lasted about two
minits. It shook down briks from ye tops of abundance of chimnies, some
allmost all the heads. Knight's and Toppan's fell. All that was about ye
houses trembled, beds shook, some cellar walls fell partly down. Benjamin
Plumer's stone without his dore fell into his cellar. Stone wals fell in a hundred
plasis. Most peopel gat up in a moment. It came very often all ye night aftar,
and it was heard two or three times some days and nights, and on the sabath
day night on ye twenty-fourth of December following between ten and eleven
it was very loud, as any time except ye first, and twice that night aftar but not
so loud. The first night it broke out in more than ten places in ye town in ye
clay low land, blowing up ye sand, sum more, sum less. In one place near
Spring island it blew out, as it was judged twenty loads, and when it was cast
on coals in ye night, it burnt like brimstone.'
The following is a copy of a letter, written by Henry Sewall, of
Newbury, to his kinsman, judge Samuel Sewall, of Boston. It is
printed in the Boston News Letter.
'Newbury, November 21st, 1727.
1 Honored sir :
' Thro' God's goodness to us we are all well and have been preserved at
the time of the late great and terrible earthquake. We were' sitting by the fire
and about half after ten at night our house shook and trembled as if it would
have fallen to pieces. Being affrighted we ran out of doors, when we found
the ground did tremble and we were in great fear of being swallowed up alive,
but God preserved us and did not suffer it to break out, till it got* forty or fifty
rods from the house, where it broke the ground in the common near a place
N.EmmonsPinx!
. ///// •////'///• gfflvbetejer £fa CMS//// ?/' ^'/
.'' \
i^, mi •MI-', (>''uhr-, IU.'.IQII-, MS, pe~; runnere fi
ilnrii Pi-iviint, l'r,-H>lt;it tli^.-.-re veil*- inori.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 199
called Spring island, and there is from sixteen to twenty loads of fine sand
thrown out where the ground broke, and several days after the water boiled out
like a spring, but is now dry and the ground closed up again. I have sent some
of the sand that you may see it. Our house kept shaking about three minutes.'
December 7th. The church connected with the third parish, in
Newbury, met, and chose a select number of the members, ' to
meet once a month and consider what may be for the good of the
town in general, especially the churches in it and more particularly
their own church. The other churches proceeded in the same
method and upon the same design.' %
1728.
The reverend.Mathias Plant thus continues his account of the
earthquakes this year.
f January third, about nine at night an easy clap. Saturday night and day
five claps. From about six at night to four Sunday morning some people said
it continued for half an hour without ceasing burst upon burst. Upon Wednes-
day January twenty-fourth about half an hour after nine at night one loud burst
followed in half a minute by another much abated. Upon Lord's day January
twenty-eighth another easy burst about half after six in the morning, another
about ten same morning easy. At the same night about one o'clock a loud
burst. Monday January twenty-ninth it was heard twice. Tuesday the thirti-
eth about two in the afternoon there was a very loud clap equal to any but the
first for terror, shaking our houses so that many people were afraid of their fal-
ling down, pewter and so forth was shaken off dressers at considerable distance.
Another shock much abated about half an hour afterwards. February twenty-
first about half after twelve at midnight a considerable loud burst. February
twenty-ninth about half after one P. M. another.' Mr. P. also mentions shocks
as having occurred i March seventeenth about three A. M. March nineteenth
about forty minutes past one P. M. and at nine the same night. April twenty-
eighth about five P. M. May twelfth Sunday morning about forty minutes past
nine a loud and long clap. 'May seventeenth Friday about eight P. M. a loud
and long clap. May twenty-second several claps in the morning, and about
ten the same morning a very loud and long clap. May t\venty-fourth about
eleven at night June sixth about three in the morning. June eleventh at nine
A. M. July third A. M. and July twenty-third about break of day a very loud
clap.'
January 30th. ' About two o'clock a shock of an earthquake.'
1 March 18th. The third parish voted to add thirty pounds to
the thirty pounds granted by the town,' f for the schools.
April 16th. ' The town received of the State one thousand three
hundred and twenty-eight pounds, and fifteen shillings, being their
proportion of the sixty thousand pounds, raised by the state to
be loaned to raise a revenue.' J
May 13th. The town i voted not to build a town house or an
alms house in a short time.' J
4 In July there was a great drought in Maine.' §
* Third parish church records. t Third parish records.
t Town records. § Reverend T. Smith's diary. '
200 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
November 26th. The third parish chose a committee ' to select a
place for a school house and also for a burying place.' This was
the commencement of the burying place near Frog pond.
1729.
January 2Sth, 1729, died Daniel Emery, aged thirty-six. In his
will, he gave sixty pounds for the use of the ministry, of which,
ten pounds was for communion plate, twenty pounds more for the
first church, which should be gathered at Chester, and a minister
ordained, twenty pounds for Nottingham, twenty-five pounds to the
parish in which he belonged, twenty-five pounds to Mr. Tufts, fifty
pounds to his kinsman at college, and one thousand pounds to his
brothers and sisters, besides providing liberally for his widow.
April 15th. The inhabitants of the upper part of the west parish,
on this day made an agreement * to build a meeting house fifty feet
by thirty-eight and twenty foot stud.'
August 2Slh. The people in the upper part of the west parish,
petitioned the general court, to divide the west parish into two pre-
cincts. They state, among other things, that they ' have near eight
score dwelling houses, besides churchmen and quakers.'
From an accurate map of the west parish of Newbury, taken by
John Brown, esquire, and dated September fifteenth^ 1729, on which
is drawn, a representation of every house in the parish, and the
name of each occupant, it appears that the number of houses was
at that time one hundred and eighty-four, and number of families
one hundred and eighty- three.
' March nineteenth betwixt two and three P. M. earthquake very
loud. September eighth at half past three P. M. another shock. Sep-
tember twenty-ninth about half past four P. M. another. October
twenty-ninth the earthquake was heard twice that night, one of the
times being about the time of night it was the first time we heard
it two years past.
' November fourteenth about eight A. M. it was loud being at-
tended with two cracks like unto two sudden claps of thunder and
shook the house. November twenty-seventh, about eight P. M. a
very loud noise and a large shock of the earthquake. It was heard
at Ipswich.' #
1730.
February 19th. ' The earthquake was pretty loud before day.'
March Wth. Town voted not to approbate more than six per-
sons to keep houses of public entertainment.
March 17th. ' The third parish voted to set their school house
* Reverend Matthias Plant's journal.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 201
by Frog pond about two thirds of the way between Fish street
[now State street] and Green street.' #=
This year the ' burying place,' now burying hill, near Frog pond,
was inclosed with a board fence.' ^
In this year, shocks of an earthquake were noticed and recorded,
on ' February eighth about eight P. M. and at midnight. February
twenty-sixth two shocks a quarter before two A. M. April twelfth
about eight P. M. July twenty-eighth about nine A. M. August
fifteenth two shocks about eight A. M. November sixth about
eleven A. M. a loud shock. November fourteenth about nine A.
M. another. November twenty-fifth another about twenty minutes
past eight P. M. December eleventh at a quarter before seven P.
M. December nineteenth about half past ten P. M." a very heavy
shock. It was perceived at Boston and Portsmouth about equal to
ours here.'
1731.
February 22d. The town voted this day ' to build a town house
in Chandler's lane,' now Federal street. From this vote fifty-seven
persons dissented.f
' March 9th. Mr. John Woodbridge was chosen a grammer
school master for the year ensuing and shall have forty-five pounds
for his service and shall have none but Latin scholars? f
March 9th. l The town granted liberty to William Johnson and
nine others to build a wharf at the foot of Chandler's lane [now
Federal street] on condition it be built within four years and that
the inhabitants of Newbury may fasten their hay boats or gondolas
to said wharf without paying for it.'
Liberty was also given to Abiel Somerby and others, to build a
wharf at the foot of Queen street, now Market street, on similar
conditions.
1 March 22d. William Hsley and Joseph Morse junior were
chosen and appointed to tune the psalm in ye meeting house in
time of publick worship and take their turn in that work that it
may be done with ye more ease and cheerfulness. And the said
Morse is appointed to sit in the fore seat of ye south body with ye
said Ilsley for ye managing said work.' f
March 29th. The second parish voted to desire the general court,
to confirm the setting off the fourth parish, from the second, which
was done by a committee, on February twenty-second, according
to a vote passed by the second parish, January sixth, consenting to
the division.
May 10th. ' Town voted to give to the first parish in Kittery
fifty pounds towards building a meeting house.' f
Shocks of the earthquake were this year noticed by Mr. Plant,
as happening c January seventh, about seven P. M. January elev-
* Third parish records. t Town records, J First parish records.
26
202 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
enth about midnight. March seventh five P. M. May twenty-
eighth nine A. M. July fifth about sunrise. August twenty -first,
evening. October twenty-first about eleven P. M, loud and long.'
On February first, a subscription paper was circulated, for the
purpose of raising money to build a town house, ' to be set where
will be best entertaining for horses, for strangers and so forth/ pro-
vided ' any person will give the land to set said house upon between
the meeting house and Archelaus Adams' tavern house.'
It was finished, and conditionally deeded to the county, February
eighteenth, 1735, reverting to the town and parish, should no court
be held in it for nine months. The original cost of the building
was five hundred and thirty pounds, and ten shillings, of which the
county paid two hundred pounds, and individuals contributed the
remainder. It was occupied as a court house, town house, school
house, and so forth, and stood on land, given by Benjamin Morse,
opposite the head of Marl borough street, where captain Amos
Knight's house now stands. It remained there till March fifth, 1780,
when it was bought at auction by John Mycall, esquire.
1732.
'January 5th. This day died in Dedham that noted Indian,
Samuel Hyde in the one hundred and sixth year of his age. He
was a faithful soldier to the English. It was said by himself, and
of him by others that he killed nineteen of the enemy Indians (he
kept the account on his gun) and would fain have made up the
number twenty.' ^
This ' noted Indian ' was for some time a resident in Newbury,
of whom, many anecdotes are still told, indicative not only of his
wit and shrewdness, but of his incorrigible mendacity. The phrase,
' you lie like Sam Hyde,' or, ' you lie like old Hyde,' expresses to a
native of Newbury, the ne plus ultra of lying. Among the testi-
monies on file, among the county papers, is one concerning him, in
a complaint against a citizen of Newbury, which is quite character-
istic, but not suitable for publication. In a petition to the general
court, August twenty-fifth, 1676, Daniel Gookin, senior, testifies,
' that Sam and Jeremy Hyde have acquitted themselves well both
for courage and fidelity, especially Sam Hyde, whom they have
witnessed to be one of the best and most active of them all,' and
that ' he took at Bridgewater one young man, and five young wo-
men and children at other places, and he slew one lusty young man
and brought his hand to captain Hunting at mount Hope.'
May 12th. The town voted, that 'the school be kept at the
town's house by the meeting house in the first parish this year.'
This was probably the watch house.
' September 5th, at eleven P. M. there was a small shock of an
earthquake.' f
* News Letter. t Parish records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 203
1733.
1 The winter of 1732-3,' says Stephen Jaques, l was very severe.
The snow fell about ye fourteenth of November and lay until April.
Hay was three pounds a load. Peach trees began to blossom ye
eleventh of May,' [old style.]
March 13th. A committee was appointed < to procure a frame
and other materials for a town house,'1 which, on May eleventh, the
town granted ' liberty to the first parish to build within two years
on their own cost and charge near lieutenant John March's house,' ^
and which, on December fourth, the first parish i voted should be
for the use of the county.' f
1 October 19th, Friday about midnight,' says Mr. Plant, 'there
was a long and loud noise of the earthquake.'
4 .November £th. Moses Brad street killed on Plum island in a
violent storm sixty wild geese with a club.' J
November 25th. A moose, seven feet high, was killed in
Salisbury.
1734.
^January 16th, about twenty minutes past ten A. M. there was
an earthquake long and loud.' §
' January. Mr. John Stickney, aged forty-one, a noted coaster, fell
overboard from his sloop and was drowned'
4 The winter of 1733-4 was very moderate.'
May' 7th. The town granted, on certain conditions, * liberty to
have a bridge built over the river Parker provided it may be built
and maintained without being a charge to this town of Newbury
and within ten years from ye date hereof.'
\June 29th, at a quarter past three P. M. there was another
earthquake.' §
< August. A great storm. Much hay carried off and Indian
corn damaged.'
September 13th. Town ' voted that the town house shall be fin-
ished with the remainder of the interest money of ye first bank, and
that said house shall be made sure to the town and county.'
September 23d. A committee was chosen to comply with * the
order of court July thirtieth to build a prison.'
' October 9th, about twenty minutes past ten A. M. an earthquake.' §
'November 12th, about one A. M. we had the loudest noise and
greatest shock (except the first of all) very awful and terrible and
long. November sixteenth at six A. M. a severe shock.' §
* Town records. t Parish records. J Boston paper. § M. Plant.
204 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1735.
i February 2d, about six P. M. there was a shock of the earth-
quake pretty loud.' ^
' March llth. The town voted thirty pounds to make Rolf's lane
a town way.'
' March 21st, about half past ten A. M. there was a loud noise of
the earthquake.' *
In May this year, a disorder, called the throat distemper, appeared
in Kingston, NeW Hampshire. The first person who took the dis-
ease, was a Mr. Clough, who, having examined the swelled throat
of a dead hog, died suddenly with a swelling in his throat. In
about three weeks, three children, about a mile from Mr. Clough's,
were attacked, and died in thirty-six hours. In fourteen towns in
New Hampshire, nine hundred and eighty-four died between June,
1735, and July sixteenth, 1736. In Massachusetts, the mortality
was nearly as great as in New Hampshire. A particular account
of the number in each town in the two states, was published, by
the reverend Mr. Fitch, in Portsmouth, and the reverend John
Brown, of Haverhill. Of the mortality in Newbury, Stephen
Jaques thus writes :
' A sickness began by the water side about September at Thomas Smith's,
which carried off two of his children and prevailed among the children, so that
by the middle of February there died from Chandler's lane [Federal street]
with the falls eighty-one persons. John Boynton lost eight children. Benjamin
Knight had three buried in one grave.' Mr. John Boyton had four children
buried in one grave, two on Saturday, and two on Sunday, December twentieth
and twenty-first. In another place, Stephen Jaques 'writes as follows.
' Thursday, October 29th. My wife went into a chamber, that was locked, to
fetch candels, that was in a bushel under a bed, and as she kneeled down and
took her candels and laid them on the bed and thrust back the half bushel,
there came out a child's hand. She saw the fingers, the hand, a streked boy's
cote or sleeve, and upon sarch. there was no child in the chamber. On Thurs-
day a fortnite aftar, my Steven's son Henry died. The next Thursday Ebene-
zer died. The next Monday morning his eldest son Stephen died.'
July 2Ath. Town ' chose Joseph Gerrish and Henry Rolfe es-
quires to use proper means to have ye county of Essex divided into
two counties.'
' In September a Newbury sloop, Ofnn Boardman, master, with
a cargo of rafts at her stern was overset on her passage from Casco
bay to Boston and thirteen persons drowned.'
1736.
February 2d. There was an earthquake.
March. The third parish ' voted to enlarge their meeting house
thirty-five feet back.' It was, when erected, in 1725, forty-five by
* M. Plant
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 205
sixty feet. It was now eighty by sixty feet They also ' voted to
petition the general court to have liberty to raise money in order to
keep a grammar school for themselves, as the first parish has peti-
tioned, and be freed from paying to any other school.' On the twenty-
fifth of March, the first parish had petitioned for the same liberty/*
'July 13th. About three quarters past nine in the forenoon, there
was a loud shock of the earthquake.' f
September. The ways for landing of ferry boats was settled by
court.
September 21st. A committee of three ' was appointed to treat
with his majestie's justices about moving the gaol now standing in
Newbury.' J
September 21st. ' The town leased March's, now Newbury port,
ferry to Benjamin Woodbridge and Moses Gerrish for seven years
at thirty-six pounds a year.' $
' October 1st. About half past one A. M. there was a great and
very loud shock of the earthquake.' f
'November 12th. About two A. M. another shock, and about six
the same morning another.' f
'December 29th. There was a surprising bloody appearance in
the heavens.' §
In this year thirteen families in Byfield buried all their children
with the ' throat distemper.'
1 In the year 1734 a few caterpillars of a peculiar kind appeared on the oak
trees as soon as the leaves began to grow. In 1735, a much larger number, one
hundred to one, were seen, but in this year the number of caterpillars was
astonishing. Almost all the woods in Haverhill and Bradford, some part of the
east end excepted, the easterly part of Chester and Andover, many thousand
acres of fhick woods had their leaves and twigs of this year's growth entirely
eaten up. They cleared off every green thing so that the trees were as naked
as in the depth of winter. They were larger than our common caterpillar and
made no nests. No river or pond could slop them. They would swim like
dogs, and travel in unaccountable armies and completely cover whole houses
and trees. Cart and carriage wheels would be dyed green from the numbers
they crushed in their progress.' ||
Richard Kelly, of Amesbury, in his diary, says, * they are larger
than the orchard caterpillar, but smooth on the back with a black
streak with white spots. They are thought by many to be the
palmer worm.'
1737.
'February 6th. About a quarter past four P. M. there was a
considerable shock of an earthquake.' f
* In ye spring of this year,' says Richard Kelly, ' was an extraor-
dinary scarce time for hay. Many cattle in the country were lost
and many others brought very low, and the summer after was the
scarcest time for corn that ever I knew.'
* Parish records. t M. Plant. J Town records.
§ Reverend Mr. Parkman's manuscripts. || Honorable Bailey Bartlet's almanacs.
206 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
March 15th. Humphrey Richards was chosen sexton of the first
parish in Newbury, a post which he occupied without interruption
till his death in March, 1785, a period of forty-eight years. His
successor was Moses Short, who was annually chosen to the same
office, from 1789, till a short time before his death, July sixth, 1841,
a period of nearly fifty-two years.
June 15th. The general court impowered the inhabitants of the
first parish to support a grammar school, and exempted them from
paying elsewhere.
August Wth. On this day the assembly of New Hampshire met
at Hampton falls, and that of Massachusetts, at Salisbury. A large
cavalcade was formed at Boston, which with a troop of horse es-
corted the governor. At Newbury ferry he was met by another
troop, and at the supposed divisional line between the states by
three more, who escorted him with great pomp to the George tav-
ern in Hampton falls, where he held a council and made a speech
to the New Hampshire assembly. The object, which both assem-
blies had in view in thus meeting within five miles of each other,
was to settle the line, a subject, which had created great interest in
both provinces. The governor's cavalcade occasioned the following
pasquinade.
1 Dear paddy you never did behold such a sight,
As yesterday morning was seen before night.
You, in all your born days saw, nor I neither,
So many fine horses and men ride together.
At the head, the lower house trotted two in a row,
Then all the higher house pranced after the low.
Then the governor's coach galloped on like the wind,
And the last that came foremost were the troopers behind.
But I fears it means no good to your neck, nor mine,
For they say tis to fix a right place for the line.' *
From November seventeenth, 1735, to October sixth, 1737, one
hundred and ninety-nine persons died with the throat distemper in
Haverhill, Massachusetts.
'December 7th. A little before eleven at night the earth quaked
very much.' f
1738.
The regular increase of the mercantile interest among c the water
side people,' especially in ship building, and the consequent addition
to the population, not only from other parts of the country, but from
Europe, made it extremely inconvenient for the congregationalists
to worship either in the first or second parish, or for the episcopa-
lians to worship in Queen Anne's chapel, ' on the plains.' The
former, as has been noticed, had erected their house of worship in
the centre of business, as early as 1725, and had been obliged to
make what had been a breadth of forty-five feet, a length of
eighty feet in 1736, and though a portion of the latter had, according
* Belknap. t M. Plant.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 207
to a statement made by Mr. Plant in his diary, begun to agitate the
subject of building a new church on a more convenient spot, as
early as 1725, nothing effectual was done till this year, when saint
Paul's church was erected on the spot, which its successor now
occupies. The same cause, which induced many of the builders
of the congregational meeting-house on the plains, to become epis-
copalians, and to name their house of worship, Queen Anne's
chapel, namely, the distance they had to travel, soon produced a
division among themselves. The original founders of the society,
who had been unwilling to go ''to meeting] up river as far as Pipe-
stave hill, were equally unwilling to go ' to church] down river as
far as Market street, while the ' water-side people ' had objections
equally valid against worshiping at i the plains.'
They, therefore, as soon as practicable, took the necessary steps
to obviate the difficulty. ' Joseph Atkins, esquire, offered to give
fifty pounds towards building a new church by the water side
and I,' says Mr. Plant, 'proposed to give the same sum. Here
was laid the foundation of a new church,' and so forth, which,
though raised in 1738, was not sufficiently finished for public
worship till 1740. In February, 1742, eleven persons gave Mr.
Plant a written invitation to preach at saint Paul's church. This,
with the consent of the people at ' the plains,' he agreed to do, every
other Sunday, but in December, regret having been expressed, that
such an invitation had been given to Mr. P., a vote was passed,
that he should deliver up the instrument, inviting him down from
queen Ann's chapel. This was accordingly done, April twenty-
first. 1743, and virtually excluded him from saint Paul's church.
The contest now, was between INfr. Plant and the water side
people, they desiring to manage the affairs of saint Paul's church
in their own way, independent of him, and he, on the other hand,
demanding, that they should give him induction into saint Paul's
church. This they refused to give, and the difficulty thus com-
menced, was not settled till June twenty-fourth, 1751, when, in the
language of the reverend doctor Morss, ' the independence of the
gentlemen at the water side was relinquished and Mr. P. was legally
inducted into saint Paul's church.' In his private diary, of which
I have a copy, he details with great minuteness, all the difficulties
between himself and the water side people, in letters to doctor Bear-
croft, which are very interesting, but of which we have no room,
even for an abstract. He appears to have been a man of strict
integrity, and 'great benevolence, and encountered the difficulties
which beset him, with firmness and discretion. On December
twenty-third, 1751, he made choice of Mr. Edward Bass, to assist
him in the work of the ministry, and died April second, 1753, aged
sixty-one, having officiated from April, 1722, a period of thirty-
one years.
February 26th. On this day a council was called, in the second
parish, to take into consideration * the distressed state and condition
of ye second church of Christ in Newbury by reason of their rev-
208 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
erend pastor Mr. John Tufts being charged by a woman or women
of his indecent carriage and also of his abusive and unchristian
behavior towards them at several times and so forth.' ^
The council, consisting of ten ministers and twenty delegates,
met, but Mr. Tufts refused to unite with the council, vehemently
opposed the swearing of the witnesses against him, and in this un-
settled state of affairs, he asked and obtained a dismission from the
church and people, March second, the church refusing to recommend
him as a Christian minister, and stating, among other things, that, as
Mr. T. had never been admitted a member of the second church, a
recommendation and dismission from the church would not be
proper,
May 18th. The town granted permission to Joseph Atkins, and
sixty-four others, to build a wharf at the foot of Queen street, now
Market street.
This year there was published in Boston, a pamphlet of seven-
teen pages of rhyme, concerning the ravages of the throat distem-
per. The two following verses are a sufficient specimen.
To Newbury 0 go and see
To Hampton and Kingston
To York likewise and Kittery
Behold what God hath done.
The bow of God is bent abroad
Its arrows swiftly fly
Young men and maids and sucking babes
Are smitten down thereby.
1739.
January 10th, was the first snow this winter that lay.
January 31st. Reverend Thomas Barnard ordained pastor of the
second church and parish in Newbury. At this time, the church
contained two hundred and twenty members.
April llth. Mr. William Coker, of Newbury, and Mr. Samuel
Green, of Boston, were drowned in Merrimac river.
August 2d, about half past two, a great shock of the earthquake.!
December 9th. No ice on Merrimac river, no frost in the ground.
December 29th. The town chose two persons ' to prosecute any
person, who should kill any buck, doe or fawn contrary to law.'
December 29th. General court passed a law, restraining cattle
and horses from going on Plum island, under a penalty, forbidding
the cutting of bushes, and so forth.
1740.
In May, Mr. Samuel Long, of Newbury, buried his wife and
four children, (all his family,) with the ' throat distemper.'
* Letter missive. t M. Plant.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 209
September Wth. The reverend George Whitefield preached on
this day, for the first time in Newbury. At one of his subsequent
addresses, in front of the meeting-house, which then stood on the
east side of High street, a few rods south of Federal street, a stone
was thrown at him, which nearly struck the bible from his hand.
His answer to this unprovoked assault, was the following. ' I have
a warrant from God to preach. His seal, (holding up the bible,) is
in my hand and I stand in the King's high way.' *
The summer and fall of this year, were as remarkable for the
rain, which fell and flooded the country, as the subsequent winter
was, for the severity of the cold. It was probably the most severe
winter ever known, since the settlement of the country. Reverend
Mr. Plant, Stephen Jaques, honorable Nathaniel Coffin, and many
others, recorded some of the most remarkable events that occurred,
from which I shall make a few extracts.
4 The summer of 1740 was a wet summer. In October gathered
our corn, one third very green. We could not let it stand by reason
of rain. * On November fourth, the winter set in very cold. On
the fifteenth a foot of snow fell, about the twenty-second of the
month it began to rain and it rained three weeks together. The
stars in the evening seemed as bright as ever, but the next morning
rain again, which occasioned a freshet in Merrimack river, the like
was not known by no man for seventy years. It rose fifteen feet
at Haverhill and floated off many houses. It was said that a sloop
might pass between Emery's mill and his house, and that the water
was twelve feet deep on Rawson's meadow at Turkey hill.' f
' It washed away all the wood and timber for building of ships
so that .for fourteen days every inhabitant was fishing for wood in
the river. It was commonly supposed that upwards of two thou-
sand cords were taken up on Plum island.' J
' Our corn,' says Stephen Jaques, l moulded as fast as six hogs
could eat it.'
4 December 12th. The river was shut up again by the severity of
the weather. Before the first of January loaded teams passed from
Haverhill, Newbury, Newtown, Amesbury, sometimes twenty, thir-
ty, forty in a day having four, six, eight oxen in a team and landed
below the upper long wharf nigh to the ferry. People ran upon
the ice for several days to half tide rock. Shipping was all froze in
and this severity extended to New York government. On Decem-
ber fourteenth about thirty-five minutes past six there was a loud
noise of the earthquake.' J
1741.
4 January tenth there was a thaw, which held three days. Janu-
ary eighteenth about four A. M. and on January twenty-fifth about
* Reverend S. P. William's historical discourse. t Stephen Jaques.
J Reverend M. Plant.
27
210 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
ten minutes before four P. M. there was an earthquake. February
third about a foot more of snow fell, February ninth another great
snow, and on February — another. In February the streets were
full of snow to the top of the fences and in some places eight or
ten feet deep. The river all the time was frozen over to colonel
Pierce's farm. March twenty-eighth the sleighing was good on
the river to colonel Peirce's farm and Plum island. April seventh
there fell about a foot of snow so there now lay about four feet
deep in the woods. From December fifth 1740 till March twenty-
seventh 1741 Plum island river was frozen over. On the nineteenth
and twentieth of March the river was frozen to the lower end of
Seal island. In Plum island river the ice broke about thirtieth of
March. There were twenty-seven snows this winter, the hardest
winter that ever was known.' ' The people of Newbury had the
principal part of their corn ground at Salisbury mills. From Feb-
ruary third till March thirty-first Pearson's mill was stopped by the
ice. February twenty-eighth the ice at Deer island the strongest
place of the tide was thirty inches thick.'
Some time this year, commenced in this county and town, the
remarkable revival of religion, which, commenced under the preach-
ing of the reverend Jonathan Edwards, in 1735, and continued by
Whitefield, Tennent, and many others, agitated not only New Eng-
land, but the whole country. An accurate account of the ' great
awakening' in this vicinity, the effects of which are to this day
everywhere visible, would require a volume. To other sources,
therefore, must the inquisitive reader look, on this interesting sub-
ject. The following hitherto unpublished letter, will doubtless
gratify some of my readers.
' To Nathaniel Coffin, esquire, at Newbury.
Kittery, October 14th, 1741.
1 Honored Sir,
1 This may inform you that we had a comfortable time home and found all
in health.
i But the chief design is to give you a short representation of the mighty
work of God at York. The reverend Mr. Willard of Biddeford took a journey
the last wee'k up as far as our town to visit the brethren and see how they did,
preached at every town as he came ; on Tuesday twice at York, on Wednesday
at our parish from these words : l Lo they that are far from thee shall perish,7
showed very plainly in what respects we were far from God and the certainty
of our perishing, if taken away in that state : some few only much affected.
Upon his return to York on Thursday he preached from Hebrews third, seventh
and eighth verses : ' wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saithj to-day, if ye will hear
his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation
in the wilderness.' Where God was pleased in a most wonderful manner to
set home his word by his spirit on the hearts of the hearers. Being much
desired to preach to them on Friday and Saturday, he did with the same power
and the same influence of the spirit of God accompanying his sermons. Mr.
Moody seeing that God had so blest his preaching at York desired him to tarry
the sabbath which he did and preached three sermons on said day, the blessing
still following. Mr. Moody supplied Mr. Willard's pulpit. The news reached
us on Saturday night. On Monday Mr. Rogers with thirty or forty of his hear-
ers went to York to see this marvellous work, father Bartlett and myself in
company (to my great amaze and surprize) for the one half was not told us,
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 211
neither indeed is it possible for my pen to express it to you. A universal concern
about their souls and what they shall do to be saved. More than forty that no
doubt are truly converted, about thirty of whom have received comfort and are full
of the love of God and Christ, perfectly in a rapture of joy being in full assurance
of faith, whose mouths are rilled with praises to God and the riches of his free
grace in Christ manifested so clearly to them. Most of them young persons
under twenty-five and down to the age of five and six years. Some middle
aged and a few old persons. To hear these little children of six, seven and
eight years old talk so powerfully, wonderfully and experimentally of the things
of" God and Christ and particularly of the doctrine of free grace is unaccount-
able were it not truly by the spirit and power of the Almighty. The finger of
the Lord is most certainly in this matter.
1 It would be almost endless to give you a particular account of those I talked
with, both of those new converts and also of them under strong and hopeful
conviction. The like was never seen in New England. The conversion of
those at Northampton [1734, 5 and 6,1 according to Mr. Edwards' account is not
comparable to this. The Lord is pleased to make quick work of it. Some
convinced, humbled to the dust and converted in a minute, others in an hour —
others in a night and others longer — to see them under convictions and in such
an extraordinary concern, so that the most acute or most sharp pain of body
that ever I saw is any way comparable to it — and how should it be, since Sol-
omon tells us that the spirit of a man sustaineth his infirmity, but a wounded
spirit, who can bear — they are indeed pricked in their heart and cry out what
shall we do. They admit of no meat, drink or sleep till they find rest for their
souls in Christ.
1 Mr. Rogers preached to a very numerous congregation on the same day at
York and the spirit accompanied his sermon as well as Mr. Willard's. Three
persons in particular that were mocking and scoffing on sabbath evening were
wonderfully convinced at this sermon — altho' there was not the least terror in
it, but altogether on comfort and joy. Mr. Rogers, as he expressed, had a far
more clear manifestation of the love of God upon his own soul than ever he had
before. He was moved to preach upon this text in the eleventh chapter of Acts
and twenty-third verse, • who when he came and had seen the grace of God
was glad ; ' and exhorted them all, that with purpose of heart they would cleave
unto the Lord.
' May God of his infinite mercy and free grace visit our town and yours with
the like influence of his holy spirit and the whole land and world of mankind,
which is the prayer and heart's desire of your dutiful son,
EDMUND COFFIN.
1 Love and duty and respects to all as due.
1 P. S. Young Mr. Moody, ;t is thought, will come speedily out of his dark
and despairing condition in this day of God's mighty power and visitation.
He is become very rational in his discourse, and mightily composed in his mind
to what he hath been for these four years past, and Jt is to be hoped will shortly
appear strong in the cause of Christ.'
1742.
1 March 27th, a quarter before 7 A. M. the noise of the earthquake
was very loud, but it did not make any shaking, as I could perceive,
although I was alone and seated in my little house. One thing I
took notice of namely, at all times before, when we heard the noise,
which way our faces were, that way the noise always seemed to be,
but now the noise seemed to be behind me, and my family took
notice of it that the noise seemed lo be* behind them.' *
* Reverend M. Plant.
212 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
.
This was indeed a phenomenon, which the observer could not
explain, and on which the compiler does not feel competent to make
any comments.
1 September 13£/i, about half past five an earthquake.' #
This year, the excitement on the subject of religion, which had
for some time prevailed over a large part of New England, was
evidently, in this region, on the increase. Every church, and every
parish, was more or less affected, and in some places to a degree,
of which the present generation can have but a faint idea. In a
letter to doctor Bearcroft, of March second, 1742, reverend Mr.
Plant thus writes. 1 1 do not know but before these six months to
come most of my hearers will leave me for all the country near me
is taken with this new scheme (as they call it.) Within one month
fifty-three have been taken into communion in one dissenting meet-
ing house. Some of them belonged to another meeting house, and
the dissenting teacher not approving of said scheme they forsook
him to [attend] at the other meeting house.' In another letter, of
July twenty-third, he says, ' in my last to you I hinted to you some-
thing of the commotion that the new scheme of methodism made
amongst us. I was under a great surprize at the time, for I thought
that all my people would be withdrawn from church, for they began
to flock after the itinerants and told me in a full body that if they
did not get good by them it was because they had bad hearts, but
how strangely is the scene changed.'
In the Boston Evening Post, of May third, is an anonymous
article, charging i the reverend N. Rogers of Ipswich, Mr. Daniel
Rogers and Mr. Buel, candidates for the ministry with having come
into Newbury formed a party and taken possession of Mr. Lowell's
meeting house without his knowledge, or asking leave of the pro-
prietors of the house, or the consent of the church or congregation
and so forth and that an attempt of the like factious nature was
made upon the reverend Mr. Toppan's meeting house, but Mr.
Toppan being present the party was repulsed,' and so forth.
This article caused a reply from Mr. John Brown, dated May
seventh, denying the truth of part of the charges, and then another
article, of May twenty-second, signed J. Lowell, affirming the truth
of the first statements. This caused another reply from Mr. Brown,
in the Boston Gazette, dated June twenty-ninth, and two other
articles, signed Henry Rolfe, Abraham Titcomb, and Humphrey
Richards. To these papers I refer the curious reader for further
information, merely observing, that I have not the space to give
even the title pages of the sermons, dialogues, tracts, and so forth,
on religious subjects, with which the neighborhood was filled.
' Since my last of July 1742,' says ftlr. Plant, February fifteenth,
1743, ' a new meeting house was built by the new schemers.' This
must have been the meeting-house in High street, just below Fede-
ral street, where the presbyterian society first worshiped.
* Reverend M. Plant.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 213
1743.
3Iay 16th. l Town chose a committee to consult about building
a work house, and to build a powder house.'
1 August 10th , about five P. M. a pretty loud shock of the earth-
quake.' =fc
* About the twenty-sixth of June the worms came upon the corn
and eat the grass in ye low ground, and did much damage. Many
people saved their corn by ditching. They lasted about eight or
ten days and went away as strangely as they came.' f
' October 15th. An exceeding high tide, which did much damage.'f
December 13th. Town voted to sell all the old law books be-
longing to the town, to the highest bidder. Also to build a gaol
and a work house.
In this year, a large number of the members of the churches,
under the pastoral care of the reverend Mr. Lowell and the reverend
Mr. Toppan, separated from them, and, soon after, formed another
church, after having had a long controversy, both oral and written,
with their respective pastors, without coming on either side to any
satisfactory result. Having a transcript of all the letters to and from
the reverend Mr. Toppan, I copy the following as a specimen.
1 The reverend Mr. Toppan's conduct in this remarkable day of divine visita-
tion having occasioned great uneasiness in his church and parish, divers, who
were aggrieved thereat from time to time went to discourse him on divers mat-
ters, till at length he declared he would talk no more with them and that if any
were uneasy they should write to him and he would answer them by writing,
whereupon "divers who were aggrieved met together and wrote a letter to him,
containing the matters of their grievances, which Mr. Toppan hearing of sent
the following letter.
1 Newbury , June 10th, 1743.
' To Charles Pierce esquire in Newbury.
'Sir,
1 1 have been informed that some yt are called schemers, by others new
light men (for Satan being now especially transformed into an angel of light
hath transformed his followers into his likeness in regard of the new light they
pretend unto) have drawn up some articles against me, some respecting my
doctrine, taught in publick, some respecting my belief in several articles of
religion, and some respecting my practices and I have been told you have the
original by you. I have long desired to see it, but could never yet obtain
it. This is therefore to desire of you to send me the original, or a copy of it
attested, for I am obliged to go to York superior court ye next week and would
carry it with me to shew to the superior judges for their judgment upon the
whole as to my doctrines whether they be right or no, for which I purpose to
carry my sermons reflected upon, as to my principles whether they be right or
no, (though in the paper before mentioned I believe there are many things false,
for I never yet knew a schemer that would not lie.) As to my practices whether
right or no, I shall leave them to judge and determine. I purpose to carry with
me a copy of what I now send to you to shew it to them j if you answer not my
request in sanding me the original or an attested copy.
Sir. I am yours to serve in what I may,
CHRISTOPHER TOPPAN.'
* M. Plant. t Stephen Jaques.
214 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1744.
February 7th. The town voted to give the county a piece of
land, on which to build a prison and prison keeper's house, which
were this year built in Federal street.
' May 13M, in the morning, and on May sixteenth at a quarter
past eleven A. M. there was an earthquake.'
June 2d. War was proclaimed at Boston, by England against
France.
' June 3d. Sabbath a quarter past ten we had a terrible shock of
the earthquake. It made the earth so shake that it made myself
and many others run out of the church.' ^
June 28th. Public fast, and in the evening an earthquake. "%
This summer, the society of friends in Newbury, erected a meet-
ing-house in what is now called Belleville. It is thirty-five feet in
length, and twenty-five in breadth, and is now used as a vestry for
the congregational society there, the friends having erected a new
meeting-house, near Turkey hill.
July 24cth. The aggrieved brethren of the first church, having
been unable to come to any satisfactory result, in their controversy
with Mr. Toppan, an ex parte council of eight churches was this
day held in Newbury, to examine the charges against him, which
were nine in number, and which, having been written June seventh,
had been presented to Mr. T. June tenth, 1743. The council, in
their report, justify the aggrieved brethren, and condemn Mr. Top-
pan, and advise the aggrieved brethren i to hearken to any reason-
able method, whereby your final separation from the church and
parish may be prevented,' and conclude by saying, that ' however
we utterly disapprove of unnecessary separations as partaking of
great guilt and accompanied with great scandal, yet looking upon
your circumstances as extraordinary and deplorable we cannot think
you blameworthy, if with good advice you seek more wholesome
food for your souls and put yourselves under the watch of a shep-
herd, in whom you can confide.' ,
August 31st. This day, another ex parte council met in New-
bury, called by the friends of Mr. Toppan, the charges against
whom they examined, and in their result, acquit him of nearly all
the allegations contained in them, and censure the aggrieved breth-
ren for their ' disorderly walking and advise them to return to the
bosom of the church and to the pastoral care of him, who has been
so faithful and useful a pastor over you for near fifty years,' and so
forth.
November 7th. Captain Donahew sailed from Newbury, in a
small privateer, belonging to Boston, with sixty men, took a sloop
with live stock eight days after he sailed, and in three days after, at
Newfoundland, took a French ship with three thousand quintals of
fish, and so forth.
* M. Plant.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 215
1745.
In the reverend Thomas Smith's journal, I find the following.
( February 2d. Great talk about Whitefield's preaching, and the
fleet to cape Breton.' These two subjects, war and religion, were
at this time in every body's mouth. The enthusiasm in favor of
the expedition against Louisburg was extraordinary, and almost
unanimous, whilst on the subject of the religious tenets and prac-
tices of Whitefield and his adherents, the community was divided,
and almost every man was either an ardent advocate, or a decided
opponent. The consequence of this state of things, was divisions
and contentions in all the churches, and many years elapsed before
the storm became a calm. In the midst of this excitement, news
came that Louisburg had been taken by the New England troops,
June sixteenth. In the reduction of this place, which was one of
the most remarkable events in the history of North America, a large
number of Newbury soldiers were engaged. Among the most
noted of these, was major Moses Titcomb. Of him Hutchinson
thus speaks. ' Major Titcomb's readiness to engage in the most
hazardous part of the service, was acknowledged and applauded.
He survived the siege, was colonel of a regiment when general
Johnson was attacked by Dieskau, and there lost his life in the
service of his country. Of the five fascine batteries that were
erected in the reduction of Louisburg, the last, which was erected
the twentieth of May and called Titcomb's battery, having five
forty- two pounders, did as great execution as any.' Among the
natives of Newbury, who were engaged in that memorable siege,
was the reverend Samuel Moody, of York, who went as chaplain,
and so confident was he of success, that he took with him a hatchet,
to cut the images in the catholic churches. Moses Coffin, afterward
of Epping, was also there, and officiated in the double capacity of
drummer and chaplain, a * drum-ecclesiastic.' On returning to the
camp after one engagement, he found a bullet had passed nearly
through a small pocket bible, which he always carried with him,
and which in this case was the means of saving his life. This
incident I give on the authority of the honorable William Plumer,
senior, of Epping, New Hampshire.
November 10th. Reverend John Tucker was settled as colleague
with the reverend doctor Toppan. Of the difficulties which
preceded, attended, and followed his settlement, something will be
said hereafter.
The difficulties still continuing, and rather increasing, in the first
church and parish, between the reverend Mr. Toppan and his
people, notwithstanding all the attempts that had been made to
satisfy both parties, the parish voted, May eleventh, to concur with
the church in setting ' apart a day to be kept by solemn prayer and
fasting to seek to heaven for a blessing on our endeavours in calling
a pious and orthodox man to assist in the ministry.'
216 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1 July 16th. Mr. John Tucker was called to the work of the
ministry by the first church and parish in Newbury,' which, after
long and anxious deliberation, he accepted, and was ordained No-
vember twentieth. This, however, was not effected without great
opposition, the majority in the parish in his favor being twelve, and
that in the church being two. The minority sent in to the ordaining
council, a long but unavailing protest against his ordination. On
December twentieth, they sent a letter to the first church, which
concludes in these words.
1 Wherefore brethren on these considerations, for the peace of our consciences,
our spiritual edification and the honor and interest of religion as we think, we
do now withdraw communion from you and shall look upon ourselves no longer
subjected to your watch and discipline, but shall, agreeable to ye advice given
us, speedily as we may, seek us a pastor, who is likely to feed us with knowl-
edge and understanding and in whom we can with more reason confide.
1 And now brethren that the God of a full light and truth would lead both you
and us into the knowledge of all truth as it is in Jesus, is and shall be the desire
and prayer of your brethren, and so forth.
CHARLES PIERCE, and twenty-two others.
Difficulties somewhat similar also occurred in the church and
parish under the pastoral care of the reverend John Lowell, which
resulted in the withdrawal of ' a considerable number of persons '
from the society. This induced the church, on May first, 1743, to
vote ' to keep the eleventh of May as a day of fasting and prayer
upon this sad occasion.' ^ From their church records I extract the
following.
4 May eleventh, 1743, was observed as a day of fasting and prayer
in pursuance of the vote above. The same day the separatists held
a public assembly in Mr. John Brown's bam in Mr. Toppan's parish
at which deacon Beck was present.'
The barn here mentioned, stood in the field nearly opposite to
Mr. Silas Noyes's house. Long and able letters to and from the
reverend John Lowell, of the following dates, October thirty-first,
November first, November fourth, December sixteenth, 1743, and
January third, 1744, are now on file among the state records, Boston.
1746.
January 3d. This day, nineteen of the persons, who, on the
twentieth of the last month, had formally withdrawn from the first
church, formed the presbyterian church. In their petition to the
general court, are these words :
' After this on the third of January 1746 we embodyed into a
church and entered into a covenant, whereof we gave the church
notice by letter under our hands of the twenty-second of the same
month and then proceeded to give the reverend Mr. Jonathan Par-
sons a call to the ministerial office,' and so forth.
* Third church records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 217
March 28th. The separate brethren, thirty-eight in number, who
had for nearly three years withdrawn from the communion of the
third church, "petitioned for a dismission and recommendation to the
presbyterian church. This the church refused to grant. On April
sixth, a committee of the * separatists ' sent a petition to the church,
commencing thus, ' reverend and beloved in those points of Chris-
tianity wherein we can agree,' desiring the church to favor them with
* the reasons for not granting their request.' * This was of no
avail, and they were finally admitted to the new church without a
recommendation.
The following is the covenant of the presbyterian church.
1 We the subscribing brethren, who were members of the first church in
Newbury, and have thought it our duty to withdraw therefrom, do also look
upon it our duty to enter into a church estate ; specially as we apprehend this
may be for the glory of God, and the interest of the Redeemer's kingdom> as
well as for our own mutual edification and comfort.
' We do therefore, as we trust, in the fear of God, mutually covenant and agree
to walk together as a church of Christ according to the rules and order of the
gospel.
' In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this third
day of January. 1746.
CHARLES PIERCE, THOMAS PIKE,
MOSES BRADSTREET, DANIEL WELLS,
EDWARD PRESBURY, JOSEPH HIDDEN.
JOHN BROWN, NATHANIEL ATKINSON, junior,
RICHARD HALL, JONATHAN PLUMMER,
BENJAMIN KNIGHT, DANIEL GOODWIN,
WILLIAM BROWN, SILVANUS PLUMER,
BENJAMIN PIERCE, SAMUEL HALL,
DANIEL NOTES, CUTTING PETTINGELL.'
MAJOR GOOD w IN,
January l^th. The parish of Byfield voted to build a new
meeting-house, fifty-six feet long and forty-five feet wide, which
was completed the next summer.
March 6th. First parish voted five hundred pounds, old tenor, to
reverend John Tucker, to build a house.
1 August 2d, just before sunrise, there was a considerable loud
and long earthquake.' f
4 August 21st and 22d, there was a heavy frost.' f
September Wth. A fleet of nearly forty ships of war, besides
transports, bringing between three and four thousand troops, with
veteran officers, and all kinds of military stores, under the command
of the duke d'Anville, arrived from France, in order to retake
Louisburg. This attempt, however, in consequence of a violent
storm, on September first, and a variety of remarkable incidents,
was rendered entirely abortive, to the great joy of the people of
New England.
' October 17th. Friday about nine A. M. it began to snow and
continued snowing until three P. M. the next day. I and my wife
went to church in the sleigh and it was very good sleighing, the
snow being two feet upon the level and lasted four days.' f
* Third church records. f M. Plant.
28
218 HISTORY OF NEWBUlir.
1747-
'January 6th, about midnight there was an earthquake.' =&
' February 6th. Three deer went through Stephen Morse's land
in the west parish of Newbury and disappeared in Amesbury.' f
' December 3d, at half past four P. M. and on December sixth at
four P. M. there was an earthquake. ^
1748.
March 8th. The town granted to John Crocker, on his petition,
liberty to erect a rope walk ' along by the windmill and to improve
said place for ten years for making of ropes and for no other use.' J
NOTE. The wind mill stood near where the south brick school house now stands
by Frog pond, and was erected in 1703. This rope walk was probably the first which
was established in Newbury, and stood on the margin of the pond.
< March 11th, about a quarter before seven A. M. there was an
earthquake.' ^
This year no rain fell from the last of May till August first.
October 7th. Peace was established between England and
France, at Aix la Chapelle. By this treaty, Louisburg was restored
to the French.
November 5th. Charles Pierce and one hundred and twenty-five
others, petitioned the general court to be freed from paying taxes to
the first and third parishes.
November Wth. Governor Shirley, having received the petition,
says, among other things, ' I am always averse to any thing grievous
upon any people on account of their religious sentiments. I desire
you would once take this repeated application of the petitioners into
your serious consideration.' The petition was not granted.
1749.
March ^th. Mr. Joseph Coffin was chosen town clerk.
June 1st. One hundred and seventy-nine persons belonging to
Mr. Parsons's society, petitioned the general court to be freed from
paying taxes to the first and third parishes. August eleventh, hav-
ing heard the answers of the first and third parishes, they dismissed
the petition nem. con.
This summer there was a very severe drought. This, attended
as it was with swarms of caterpillars, and other devouring insects,
caused great distress in New England. ' Many brooks and springs
were dried up.' Not more than a tenth of the usual crop of hay
was cut, and much was imported from Pennsylvania and England.
4 1 mowed,' says Richard Kelly, ' several days and could not cut
* M. Plant. t S. Morse's manuscripts. J Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 219
more than two hundred pounds a day, and people were fain to kill
abundance of cattle because they could not get hay to winter them.'
October 29th. Reverend Thomas Barnard resigned his pastoral
office, in the second church and parish.
The winter of 1749-50 was a very severe one. Cattle had to be
browsed in the woods.
1750.
^
January 13th. Town authorized Daniel Farnham, esquire, to
prefer a petition to the general court, for a lottery, to build a bridge
over the river Parker.' 3k
April 1st. Province bills, first issued in 1702, ceased to pass.
This currency was called ' old tenor.' In 1748, there were three
kinds of bills : old tenor, which passed at seven and a hah0 for one ;
that, is, seven shillings and sixpence in bills, was equal to one
shilling lawful ; middle, or three fold tenor, and new tenor. The
redemption of the old tenor bills, occasioned the celebrated Joseph
Greene to write a poem, entitled, < a mournful lamentation for the
sad and deplorable death of Mr. Old Tenor, a native of New Eng-
land, who after a long confinement by a deep and mortal wound,
which he received about twelve months before, expired on the thir-
ty-first of March 1750.'
i The winter of 1750-51 was remarkably mild.'
May 20th. ' The third church voted nemine contradicente that
the scriptures be read in publick the Lord's day.' f
1751.
February 2Qth. Reverend Moses Hale ordained pastor of the
second church and parish.
March 12th. Several citizens of the town petitioned, that ' several
ways and landing places might be confirmed to the town.' This
the proprietors' committee opposed, declaring that the town had no
power to act in the affair. Here commenced a contest between the
town and the proprietors, which was finally settled in favor of the
latter, in 1826.
March 22d, 1751. Third parish t voted to choose one or more
parsons to take care of the boyes that plays at meeting.' J
' 1745, October 28th. Epliraim Lunt was chosen,' in the first
parish, ' to set in the gallery to and take special care that ye boys do
not play in service time and correct those boys that do not give due
attention,' and so forth.
1752.
' March 27th. Town voted to build for the use of the town a
house near the upper end of Plum island.' *
* Town records. f Church records. J Third parish records.
220 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
Tliis winter was a very cold one.
This year the British parliament made an alteration in the style.
From ' Job Shepherd's almanack,' published in Newport, by James
Franklin, I make the following extract.
' Kind reader,
1 You have now such a year as you never saw before, nor ever will see here-
after. The king and parliament have thought proper to enact that the month of
September 1752 shall contain but nineteen days so that we are not to have two
beginnings to our years, but the first of January is to be the first day and first
month of the year 1752. Eleven days are taken from September and begin one
Tuesday, two Wednesday and fourteen Thursday. Be not much astonished,
nor look 'with concern, dear reader, at such a deduction of days, nor regret as
for the loss of so much time, but take this for your consolation that your
expences will appear lighter and your mind be more at ease. And what an
indulgence is here for those, who love their pillows, to lie down in peace on the
second of this month and not perhaps a\vake, or be disturbed till the fourteenth
in the morning. Now, reader, since 't is likely you may never have such another
year, nor such another almanack, I would advise you to improve the one for
your own sake, and recommend the other for the sake of your friend,
POOR JOB.'
c May 26th. Proprietors lease to Jonathan Pearson for twelve
years all the stream of water from Rowley line to Peter Cheney's
grant, (which was made fifteenth February 1687) on condition he
would grind for Newbury before he would for other towns.'
1 May 7th, 1752. The members of the second church in
Newbury met to deal with our brother Richard Bartlet for the
following reasons.
'First, our said brother refuses communion with the church for
no other reason but because the pastor wears a wigg, and because
the church justifies him in it, setting up his own opinion in oppo-
sition to the church, contrary to that humility, which becomes a
Christian.
4 Second, and farther in an unchristian manner he censures and
condemns both pastor and church as anti-christian on the aforesaid
account and he sticks not from time to time to assert with the great-
est assurance that all who wear wiggs, unless they repent of that
particular sin before they die will certainly be damned, which we
judge to be a piece of uncharitable and sinful rashness.'
This opposition to wigs was not peculiar to Mr. Bartlet, though
he was probably one of the last, who took so decided a stand
against that article of dress. From their first introduction in New
England, till the tyranny of fashion had sanctioned their almost uni-
versal use, the wearing of wigs had been violently opposed by our
fathers, who considered the manner of wearing the hair, as a subject
of grave and serious consequerice. In many places in judge Sewall's
diary, he alludes to this subject. I make a few extracts.
1 1685, September 15th. Three admitted to the church, two wore
periwigs.'
1 '1696. k Mr. Sims told me of the assaults he had made on peri-
wigs, seemed to be in good sober sadness.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 221
' 1697. Mr. Noyes of Salem wrote a treatise on periwigs,' and
so forth.
i 1704. January. Walley appears in his wig having cut off his
own hair.'
4 1708, August 20th. Mr. Cheever died. The welfare of the
province was much upon his heart. He abominated periwigs?
The venerable John Elliot, the apostle to the Indians, believed
lhat the sufferings endured by the people of Massachusetts in Phil-
ip's war, were inflicted on them as a judgment from heaven for
wearing wigs !
Even the members of the society of friends, were troubled with
the wig question. From the minutes of the monthly meeting, I
make the following extracts.
'1721, November 16£A. At this meeting we received an account
from ye quarterly meeting, in which we are desired to consider the
wearing of wiarges and give in our judgment at the next quarterly
meeting to be held at Salem.'
'1721, December 2lst. Hampton. The matter above mentioned
consarning ye wearing of wigges was discoursed and it was con-
cluded by this meeting yt ye wearing of extravegent super/lues
wigges is altogether contrary to truth?
1753.
' March 13/A. Town granted the petition of Nathan Hale and
others about a fire engine.'
1 May 23d. Town granted liberty to Samuel Titcomb and John
Harris t6 build a substantial engine to weigh hay to stand where
the old engine stood, near the head of Fish street.'
1754.
' March 12th. Town voted to build a powder house.'
' September 19^. The town taking into consideration the bill
entitled an act for granting to his majesty an excise upon wines
and spirits distilled and sold by retail or consumed in this province,
voted that they are of opinion that that part of said bill, which
relates to the consumption of distilled spirits in private families
(which was referred to the consideration of the towns) is an infringe-
ment on the natural rights of Englishmen and ought not to pass
into a law,' and so forth.
1755.
1 January 21 st. Town voted, first, that the town will act on an
act lately made relating to an excise on the private consumption of
distilled spirits, wines, lemons, limes and oranges.
222 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
' Second, voted that the petitioners namely captain Michael Dai-
ton and others and any other gentlemen, who are willing to join
them should on their own cost and charge apply home in order to
prevent said acts obtaining the royal assent.'
'May 22d. Reverend John Lowell preached a sermon from
Deuteronomy 20 : 4 at Newbury at the desire and in the audience
of colonel Moses Titcomb and many others enlisted with him in
an expedition against the French,' at Crown point, where he was
slain, September eighth. ' In the battle of lake George he com-
manded his regiment on the extreme right wing of general John-
son's line. He got behind a large pine tree about one rod distant
from the end of the breast work, where he could stand up and
command his men, who were lying flat on the ground, and where
he could have a better opportunity to use his own piece. Here he
was insensibly flanked by a party of Indians, who crept around a
large pine log, across a swamp about eighty yards distant, and shot
him. Colonel Titcomb and lieutenant Baron stood behind the
same tree and both fell at the same fire. This was about four
o'clock in the afternoon of Monday the eighth of September 1755.'
The preceding particulars I give on the authority of Mr. Henry
Stevens, junior. In the preface to a funeral sermon preached on
the occasion, by the reverend John Lowell, from Joshua 1:2, he
says, ' being more especially called to take notice of colonel Tit-
comb's death, and in a religious way publicldy to improve it, as he
was one of the church under my pastoral care, and his family and
relations are with us : and as many had their friends gone from my
parish under him, the following sermon in the height of our pas-
sionate resentment of the affecting providence, I hastily composed
and preached immediately after the news of it; as what I then
thought seasonable.'
By a census taken this year, Newbury had fifty slaves, negroes,
and Indians ; thirty-four males, and sixteen females.
November 1st. A great and destructive earthquake destroyed
Lisbon.
i November ISth, about four o'clock A. M. was the most violent
earthquake ever known in North America. It continued about
four and a half minutes. In Boston, about one hundred chimneys
were leveled with the roofs of the houses and about fifteen hundred,
shattered and thrown down in part. There was a shock every day
till the twenty-second.'
4 December 19th. There were two or three shocks about ten P. M.' %•
1756-
1 March llth. About three P. M. a small shock of earthquake.'
April 16th. A great gale of wind commenced, which lasted
three and a half days. Sixteen vessels were lost. |
# Richard Kelly. t Caleb Greenleaf s almanacs.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 223
I
From May eighteenth till June nineteenth there was no rain.
The meeting-house now standing in Federal street was this year
erected. From almanacs\ kept by Mr. Caleb Greenleaf, I make
the following extracts.
' July 5th. We began to raise our meeting house and finished it
the seventh, and not one oath heard and nobody hurt.' The house
is one hundred feet long, by sixty broad.
1 On the seventh the reverend John Morehead of Boston preached
the first sermon in it from 2 Chronicles 7 : 12. The first sermon
preached in our new meeting house was on August fifteenth. The
text was the whole of the one hundred and twenty-second psalm.'
' August 19th and 2Qth, we pulled down our old meeting house.'
This house, as has been observed, stood on the easterly side of
High, formerly Norfolk street, a few rods south of Federal street.
From a letter to doctor Bearcroft, written February fifteenth, 1743,
by the reverend M. Plant, it appears that it was erected in 1742.
He says, ' since my last of July twenty-third 1742 a new house was
built by the people called the new schemers and their dissenting
teacher received fifty-three into their communion in one day of
those, who are of their way of thinking.' The 'dissenting teacher'
above mentioned, was the reverend Joseph Adams, who was after-
ward settled in Newington, New Hampshire.
October 2d. The number of quakers in Newbury, was, at this
time, twenty-five men.^
' November 16tfA, at ten minutes before four A. M. there was an
earthquake.' A remarkably open winter, f
1757.
January 13^/i. The town granted the petition of four persons, to
build a grist and saw mill at Pine island.
' July 8th, at twenty minutes past two P. M. there was a small
earthquake.'
1758.
This year, another difficulty occurred in the second parish. As
the meeting-house, in consequence of the setting off of the fourth
parish, in 1729, was no longer in a central place, and was very
much dilapidated, the parish had voted, November thirtieth, 1756,
to rebuild it at the l southerly end ' of Hanover street. In February
and June, nineteen persons petitioned the general court to be set off
from the second to the fourth parish, ' on account of distance, bad-
ness of the road, badness of the meeting house, and on account of
a vote to remove the meeting house half a mile farther east.' They
conclude a long petition in the following figurative strain.
' Thus your excellency and honors may justly see that we are afloat in an
ocean of difficulty, and must unavoidably without your excellency and honor's
* Robert Adams's manuscripts. f Reverend Peter .Coffin's almanacs.
224 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
interposition be wafted from our much, desired church and congregation into
the bosom of our mother church, into which nothing but a long and tedious
quarrel, a shattered, doleful and uncomfortable house to worship our divine
master in, together with a total despair of being extricated out of our misery,
would bring us.'
May 23d. A committee was chosen by the town, Mo sell the
town's part of the prison house and land in Newbury, and to buy
or build a convenient house for the poor.'
The successes of the French, down to nearly the close of 1757,
had very much depressed and dispirited the colonies; but they
soon began to feel the effect of the energetic measures of the im-
mortal Pitt, who, in the autumn of 1757, became prime minister of
Great Britain, the success or defeat of whose arms, especially in
North America, excited the deepest interest. July twenty-sixth,
Louisburg was taken. August twenty-seventh, fort Frontenac
surrendered, and, on November twenty-fifth, fort Du Quesne, after-
ward called fort Pitt, now Pittsburg, was wrested from the French.
In all these engagements, the New England people contributed their
full proportion ; New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Massachusetts
furnishing fifteen thousand troops, of whom a large proportion went
from Newbury.
September 14th. There was a public thanksgiving, on account
of the reduction of cape Breton.
The bridge over the river Parker was erected this year.
1759.
This year, the British arms were triumphant in all their engage-
ments in North America. July twenty-fourth, Niagara was taken,
and on the twenty-seventh, Ticonderoga, and when the news arrived
in Massachusetts, that, on September thirteenth, the army under
general Wolfe was victorious, on the plains of Abraham, and that,
on the eighteenth of the same month, Quebec had surrendered, the
joy and enthusiasm of the people seemed to know no bounds.
The citizens of Newbury had a day of rejoicing. An ox was
split and broiled on a huge gridiron, at the west end of the reverend
Mr. Lowell's meeting-house. Songs, commemorative of the victo-
ries of this year, were everywhere sung. Every stanza of one
of the songs, ended with the words, 'the year fifty-nine. So, dea-
con Benjamin Colman, aged ninety-two, now living, [December
twenty-third, 1844,] informs me, who saw the ox broiled, and re-
members the following lines of the song, which was then sung.
' De la C — had a squadron so nimble and light,
On meeting Boscawen like a Frenchman took fright ;
But running too fast on some mighty design,
He lost both his legs in the year fifty-nine.
' With true British valour we broke every line,
And conquered Quebec in the year fifty-nine.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 225
March 13th. The town granted the petition of James Knight
and nine others, 'to erect another engine to weigh hay near the head
of Muzzey's lane/ now Marlborough street.
May 25th. The second parish commenced tearing down their
old meeting-house, and this year raised their new meeting-house,
which was fifty-four feet long and forty-four broad.
June 28th. i A public fast on account of the expedition to
Canada/
July 8th. ' At a quarter past two there was an earthquake.'
August. The houses of Anthony Gwynn and Mr. Somerby, of
Newbury, and Mr. Greenleaf, of Newbury new town, were struck
with lightning.
September 10th. i Mr. Samuel Pettingell fell from the steeple of
the reverend Mr. Parson's meeting house, (which was this year
erected) and was killed instantly.' ^
October 25th. ' Public thanksgiving on account of the surrender
of Quebec.'
In November of this year, the small-pox made its appearance on
< the plains,' so called, and was for some time called the eruptive
fever.
Some time this year, Mr. Enoch Noyes, a self-taught mechanic,
commenced, without instruction, making horn buttons and coarse
combs, of various kinds, and continued the business till 1778, when
he employed William Cleland, a deserter from Burgoyne's army,
a comb-maker by profession, and a skillful workman. This was
the commencement of the comb-making business in Newbury, and
various other places.
1760-
' February 3d, at three o'clock A. M. there was an earthquake at
Newbury.'
May 20th. The town acted on the petition of doctor Nathan
Hale, and others, and voted that they would not repair or remove
the town house, and, on May twenty-sixth, i voted not to build a
new town house.'
Pine island grist and saw mill erected this year.
May 2lst. Twenty-two members of the ' old church,' namely,
queen Ann's chapel, in consequence of the discontinuance of pub-
lic worship in that building three sabbaths in every month, united
with several others, in an agreement to build a new meeting-house,
and again become congregationalists, for the same reason that some
of their ancestors became episcopalians, namely, distance from the
meeting-house, and petitioned the general court to form a new parish.
In July, the small-pox ceased in Newbury. During its continu-
ance, the selectmen fenced in the infected district, from the school-
house to Emery's hill, and sent to Boston for physicians and nurses,
* Mr. Caleb Greenleaf 's almanacs.
29
226 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
who, as the custom then was, greatly aggravated the disease, by
shutting up the sick in small and heated rooms. About eighty per-
sons had the disorder, of whom thirty-six, all adults but two, died.
September 8th. Montreal was taken by the English, as also
Detroit and Mackinaw.
October 29th. There was a ' public thanksgiving on account of
the entire reduction of Canada.'
176 1.
February 6th. Second and third parishes opposed the formation
of a new parish at ' the plains.'
March 10th. ' Town chose a committee to use their best endeav-
ours to remove the inferior court held in Salem to Ipswich, and one
of the other courts from Ipswich to Newbury inasmuch as they pay
a greater tax to the province charges than any other town in ye
province save Boston.' #
March IQth. A ferry was granted from Newbury to Salisbury,
1 about the middle of Bartlet's cove.'
March \2th, at twenty minutes past two, A. M., there was an
earthquake. * It was divided,' says one writer, ' into two shakes
with a pause between.'
April 5th. The fifth parish was incorporated. The parishioners
having held a meeting in queen Ann's chapel, bishop Bass wrote
their committee the following letter.
'June 9^,1761.
1 Gentlemen,
' I am informed that you with a number of people whose committee I hear
you are, broke into the old church the other day. I shall be very glad to find
that I am misinformed, for if it be really so I think you have used me in a very
uncivil and ungentlemanlike manner, and without any provocation and not a
little exposed yourselves. If you had business to transact, or any grave matters
to talk over near the church and it was necessary or convenient that you should
go into the church for that purpose I do n't know of any body that would have
been against it, but certainly you ought to have done it in an orderly manner
by asking leave of me, who am the proper guardian of that church.
EDWARD BASS.'
September 8th. The committee addressed the members of the
old church, ' and after stating the incorporation of the parish, and
that they had no convenient house for the worship of God at pres-
ent,' conclude thus : ' we therefore as neighbours and friends desire
your consent to improve the said church in the vacancy of Mr.
Bass not attending there until we are accommodated with a new
house. We are,' and so forth.
September 9th. The preceding request was granted by the pro-
prietors of the ' old church.'
May. A fire engine, the second in Newbury, was imported from
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
227
\
IT?}
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 227
London this month, by Michael Dalton, esquire, and others,^ and
a fire company of twenty-four men formed.
November 1st, between eight and nine P. M. there was an earth-
quake.
This summer there was a great drought.
1762.
March 2d. A committee was appointed in By field parish, to
appoint a grammar-school master, according to the will of governor
Dummer, and the academy was erected.
March. The county appropriated two hundred pounds, toward
defraying the expense of building a court house, ' for the use of
the county and town,' but in consequence of the refusal of the
town, March twenty-ninth, to unite with the county, in the erection
of such a building, ' the water side people ' generously gave the
money to build the court house, purchased, July seventh, eleven
and a quarter rods of land, at the corner of Essex street, where the
museum now stands, of Joseph Clement, shipwright, for sixty-
nine pounds. Said building, when erected, was to be used as a
court and town house, ' and to no other use, intent or purpose
whatsoever.' It was built this year.
' July 2Sth. There was a day of fasting and prayer on account
of the grievous drought,' and on August twelfth, a day of thanks-
giving, on account of the capture of Havana by the English.
This summer, the church in connection with the fifth parish was
constituted, and the reverend Oliver Noble ordained their pastor,
September first.
1763.
February 27th, Monday. Dummer academy opened. Mr. Sam-
uel Moody, preceptor. The number of pupils on this day was
twenty-eight, of whom, one only, deacon Benjamin Colman, born
in 1752, is still living. Reverend Moses Parsons preached a sermon
on the occasion, from Isaiah, 32 : 8. ' The liberal soul deviseth
liberal things.'
May 12th. Town l voted to build a pest house in the great pas-
ture thirty-eight feet long by twenty -eight wide and one story high/ #
At the June session of the general court, two hundred and six of
the * water side people,' so called, sent in a petition, praying, that,
for certain reasons, they might be set off from Newbury, and
incorporated into a town by themselves. In this petition, signed,
in behalf of themselves and the memorialists, by William Atkins,
Daniel Farnham, Michael Dalton, Thomas Woodbridge, and Pa-
trick Tracy, they enumerate a long list of grievances, as reasons
* Town records.
228 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
why their request should be granted. The substance of it is, that
between them, 'the merchants, traders, and mechanics,' and the
husbandmen, ' there is a certain jealousy as to their public affairs
and a high spirit of opposition,' and so forth. They complain of
* the want of schools by the water side,' a want of fire engines, that
'they are unreasonably taxed,' that 'there is no town treasurer,'
that ' they do not have their due proportion of the selectmen,' and,
finally, as an instance of the prevailing spirit of jealousy and oppo-
sition, they say, that ' the town has not met, and we suppose will
not meet, in the new court house lately built at the water side by
the county and the people there — and that it is a sufficient objection
with them to any measure proposed, or thing done, tho' ever so just
and reasonable in its nature, that ye water side people proposed, or
did it. Wherefore,' and so forth.
This summer there was a severe drought.
October 20th. • ' The town voted unanimously three only ex-
cepted, that they were opposed to the division of the town. Also
voted to build a house for the grammar school at or near the head
of Fish street, and to build a small house behind the work house
to keep crazed and distracted persons in.'
December 2d. The first parish, on account of the supposed
weakness of the turret of the old meeting-house, took down the
bell, and hung it in a bell-house opposite the meeting-house.'
1764.
January 27th. The town authorized the selectmen ' to provide a
suitable gate at. old town bridge and at Thorla's bridge and employ
one man to keep each gate and also to fence across any road to
prevent any person infected with the small pox coming into town/
and ' that no vessel shall come up above Hook's point till an exam-
ination is made.'
NEWBURYPORT.
January 28th* That part of Newbury now called Newburyport,
was incorporated as a separate town. The act of incorporation
^commences thus.
' An act for erecting part of the town of Newtmry into a new town by the
name of Newburyport.
' Whereas the town of Newbury is very large, and the inhabitants of that
part of it, who dwell by the water side there, as it is commonly called, are
mostly merchants, traders and artificers, and the inhabitants of the other part
of the town are chiefly husbandmen, by means whereof many difficulties and
disputes have arisen in managing their public affairs,
Be it enacted,7 and so forth.
Here follows a description of the boundary lines of the town,
which can be more easily understood by reference to the map. In
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 229
regard to size, it is the smallest town in the commonwealth,
containing about six hundred and thirty acres, less than a mile
square. Of its population, business, trade, advantages, and so
forth, I shall speak more fully hereafter. I shall here only make
one quotation from that inimitable book, written by the late Timo-
thy Dexter, entitled ' a pickle for the knowing ones.' With the
exception of the punctuation, I give it verbatim and literatim.
< fourder, frinds. I will tell the a tipe of mankind, what is that ? 35 or 36
years agone A toun called Noubry, all won the Younited states, Noubry peopel
kept together quiet till the Lamed groued strong, the farmers was 12 out of
20. thay wanted to have the offesers in the Contry, the Larned in the see port
wanted to have them there, geering ARose, groued warme, fite thay wood, in
Law thay went trie Jinrel Cort to be sot of. finely thay got there Eands Ans-
wered, the see port caled Newburyport, 600 Eakers of Land out of 30000 Ea-
kers of good land, so much for mad, people of Laming makes them mad. if
thay had kept together thay wood have been the sekent toun in this state about
half of Boston.'
Among the conditions of the act of incorporation, were these :
that Newbury should hereafter send but one representative to the
general court, and Newburyport one, and that ' the inhabitants of
Newburyport shall from time to time amend and repair a certain
bridge over the river Artichoke which they will have occasion to
pass and repass, although the same bridge is not included within
the limits of Newburyport.'
March 15th. The c committee chosen by the town of Newbury-
port report that at least three large schools should be provided and
maintained in said town,' and conclude by saying : ; as the inhabi-
tants have now the long desired privilege of being well served with
schools, and, as they have heretofore been liberal in supporting pri-
vate schools, we think it proper that the public schools should be
honorably supported.'
To the suggestion of the committee, the town gave a hearty re-
sponse, and from that time to the present, the public schools have
been ' honorably supported,' and it is believed by competent judges,
that no town in the commonwealth has done more for the cause of
education, in proportion to its means, than the town of Newbury-
port. In the language of Timothy Dexter, 'the larned groued
strong.'
May 25th. i Newburyport voted to petition the general court to
have their limits and bounds enlarged,' and also voted, two hundred
and sixty-two against fifty-four, l not to petition to be reunited to the
town of Newbury.'
1765.
On March twenty-second, an act, passed by the British parliament,
for raising a revenue by a general stamp duty through all the
American colonies, received the royal assent, and was to take effect
November first. It was called the stamp act, was everywhere
230 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
disapproved, and in many places met with great opposition. On
August twenty-sixth, a mob entered the house of William Story,
deputy register, and destroyed the records and files of the admiralty
court, ransacked the house of Benjamin Hallowell, comptroller of
the customs, and destroyed the house of lieutenant governor Hutch-
inson,^ much property, and many valuable books and papers.
September 30th. The town of Newburyport voted that ' the late
act of parliament is very grievous, and that this town as much as
in them lies endeavour the repeal of the same in all lawful ways,
and that it is the desire of the town that no man in it will accept of
the office of distributing the stampt papers, as he regards the dis-
pleasure of the town and that they will deem the person accepting
of such office an enemy to his country.'
October 2lst. Each of the towns, 'Newbury and Newburyport,
on this day held a town meeting, and each voted to give instructions
to their representative, ' relating to his acting in the general court.'
The instructions given to Joseph Gerrish, representative of New-
bury, were passed unanimously, and ordered to be kept on file, but
are now lost. From the instructions given by Newburyport to
their representative, Dudley Atkins, the following extracts are taken.
1 After adverting to the right of the people to instruct their representatives,
and remarking upon the liberality of the English constitution, the instructions
proceed :
1 We have the most loyal sentiments of our gracious king, and his illustrious
family ; we have the highest reverence and esteem for that most angust body,
the parliament of Great Britain ; and we have an ardent affection for our breth-
ren at home j we have always regarded their interests as our own, and esteemed
our own prosperity as necessarily united with theirs. Hence it is that we have
the greatest concern at some measures adopted by the late ministry, and some
late acts of parliament, which we apprehend in their tendency will deprive us
of some of our essential and high-prized liberties. The stamp-act, in a pecu-
liar manner, we esteem a grievance, as by it we are subjected to a heavy tax,
to which are annexed very severe penalties ; and the recovery of forfeitures,
incurred by the breach of it, is in a manner, which the English constitution
abhors, that is, without a trial by jury, and in a court of admiralty. That a
people should be taxed at the will of another, whether of one man or many,
without their own consent, in person or by representative, is rank slavery.
* # # # * * *
'That these measures are contrary to the constitutional rights of Britons
cannot be denied ; and that the British inhabitants of America are not in every
respect entitled to the privileges of Britons, even the patrons of the most arbi-
trary measures have never yet advanced.
f We have been full and explicit on this head, as it seems to be the funda-
mental -point in debate j but was the tax in itself ever so constitutional, we
cannot think but at this time it would be very grievous and burdensome.
1 The embarrassments on our trade are great, and the scarcity of cash arising
therefrom is such, that by the execution of the stamp-act, we should be drained
in a very little time of that medium : the consequence of which is, that our
commerce must stagnate, and our laborers starve.
' These, sir, are our sentiments on this occasion ; nor can we think that the
distresses we have painted are the creatures of our own imagination.
* In Boston.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 231
' We therefore the freeholders and other inhabitants of this town, being legally
assembled, take this opportunity to declare our just expectations from you,
which are,
1 That you will, to the utmost of your ability, use your influence in the gene-
ral assembly that the rights and privileges of this province may be preserved
inviolate ; and that the sacred deposit, we have received from our ancestors,
may be handed down, without infringement, to our posterity of the latest
generations :
* That you endeavor that all measures, consistent with our loyalty to the best
of kings, may be taken to prevent the execution of the above grievous innova-
tions ; and that the repeal of the stamp-act may be obtained by a most dutiful,
and at the same time most spirited, remonstrance against it.
' That you do not consent to any new or unprecedented grants, but endeavor
that the greatest frugality and economy may take place in the distribution of
the public monies, remembering the great expense the war has involved us in,
and the debt incurred thereby, which remains undischarged.
( That you will consult and promote such measures, as may be necessary, in
this difficult time, to prevent the course of justice from being stayed, and the
commerce of the province standing still :
1 That if occasion shall offer, you bear testimony in behalf of this town against
all seditions and mobbish insurrections, and express our abhorrence of all
breaches of the peace ; and that you will readily concur in any constitutional
measures^ that may be necessary to secure the public tranquillity.'
The stamp distributors were everywhere compelled to resign,
and in many places they were hung in effigy. In Newburyport,
the effigy of a Mr. I B , who had accepted the office of
stamp distributor, was suspended, September twenty-fifth and
twenty-sixth, from a large elm tree which stood in Mr. Jonathan
Greenleaf 's yard, at the foot of King street, [now Federal street,] a
collection of tar barrels set on fire, the rope cut, and the image
dropped into the flames. At ten o'clock, P. M., all the beDs in
town were rung. * I am sorry to see that substitute,' said a distin-
guished citizen of Newburyport, 1 1 wish it had been the original/
Companies of men, armed with clubs, were accustomed to parade
the streets of Newbury and Newburyport, at night, and, to every
man they met, put the laconic question, ' stamp or no stamp.' The
consequences of an affirmative reply, were any thing but pleasant.
In one instance, a stranger, having arrived in town, was seized by
the mob, at the foot of Green street, and, not knowing what answer
to make to the question, stood mute. As the mob allow no neu-
trals, and as silence with them is a crime, he was severely beaten.
The same question was put to another stranger, who rephed, with
a sagacity worthy of a vicar of Bray, or a Talleyrand, 4 1 am as
you are.' He was immediately cheered and applauded, as a true
son of liberty, and permitted to depart in peace, wondering, no
doubt, at his own sudden popularity.
' The uneasiness,' says the reverend N. Appleton, < in all the col-
onies was universal. All as one man rising up in opposition to it,
such a union, as was never before witnessed in all the colonies,' so
that, in the language of doctor Holmes, ' by the first of November,
when the act was to take effect, not a sheet of stamped paper was
to be had throughout New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and
the two Carolinas.'
232 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
June 5th. There were several shocks of an earthquake.
December ^th. i Great numbers of wild geese were caught alive,
many were shot, or killed with clubs, and many were found dead.7
1766.
On March eighteenth, the stamp act was repealed. The joy of
the people, on hearing the intelligence, was as great, as their indig-
nation had been at its passage. The twenty-fourth of July was
kept as a day of public thanksgiving, on account of its repeal. ' Our
people,' says the reverend Thomas Smith, of Portland, ' were almost
mad with drink and joy. A deluge of drunkenness.'
May 20th. A town meeting, in Newburyport, was called, ' by
beat of drum and word of mouth.' The upper part of the town
house was ordered to be illuminated, at the town's expense, and that
' the selectmen deliver out of the town's stock of gunpowder six
half barrels thereof to be used in the public rejoicings of this day.'
One half of this was used at the upper long wharf, the other half
at the lower long wharf, under the supervision of Mr. John Harbert,
and captain Gideon WoodwelL*
The ecclesiastical difficulties which had arisen in the first parish,
under the ministry of the reverend Christopher Toppan, were, it
appears, far from being settled under his successor, the reverend
John Tucker, notwithstanding so large a secession had taken place,
from the church and parish, at the time of his settlement. On
February eleventh, the parishioners held a meeting, to decide the
question, whether to build a new meeting-house, on land owned by
John Brown, esquire, or repair the old one. They voted to repair
the old meeting-house. This called forth, at a meeting, held March
twenty- seventh, a protest from John Brown, and seventeen others,
' forbidding them to lay out one farthing of their interest towards the
repairs of the meeting house, and demanding their proportion of the
parish funds.' At the same time, Joseph Coffin, esquire, and forty-
three others, some of whom attended, and some did not attend, the
reverend Mr. Tucker's preaching, sent a petition to the parish, sta-
ting, among other things, that ' as we cannot adhere to his principles
manifest in his preaching, especially of late, we cannot think it our
duty to ask the favour to be freed from paying any further taxes
towards his support, or any other parish charges. We therefore
your petitioners, subscribers hereto humbly pray that you would take
our case jointly into your serious and most impartial consideration and
grant us the relief we might rationally expect in a nation where liberty
of conscience is indulged to every sect and denomination of Christians
whatever, and in a land where a love of, and an ardent desire after,
liberty is born with us, and prevails against all opposition even in
civil, much more in religious, affairs. We think that every rational
* Town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 233
person must be convinced after about twenty years' trial, that we
cannot enjoy any lasting peace in the parish while we thus continue.
We therefore,' and so forth. Of this protest and petition, no satis-
factory notice was taken. Accordingly, those who felt aggrieved,
formed a new society, which they called the union society, and
commenced preparations to erect a meeting-house, \vhich, it is said,
they first intended to build at the northwest corner of Marlborough
street, but finally determined to place it opposite to the old meeting-
house, on land which they purchased of John Brown, esquire,
February twenty-eighth. This occasioned another parish meeting,
April twenty-eighth, at which l a committee of three was chosen to
send to the general court to forbid their building a house so near
the present house.' In July, however, the house was raised, and
boarded, but was, for some cause, never finished. Tradition asserts,
that Mr. Nathan Pierce was once overheard to pray, that * Dagon,
[the old house,] might fall before the ark of the Lord.' This in-
duced the wags of the parish, to call the old meeting-house, ' old
Dagon,' and the new meeting-house, i young Dagon,' and when,
on the ninth of February, 1771, in a violent storm of thunder, light-
ning, wind, and rain, the new house was blown down, one of them
exclaimed, as he saw it lifted by the wind, 'I snare, you, young
Dagon is agoing ! '
We at the present day, can have but faint conceptions, of the
feelings which at that time actuated the l legalists,' and the ' new
lights,' as they were then called. This intensity of feeling, was
principally owing to the virtual union of church and state, which
then deemed conscience a geographical matter, and made it the
duty of -every man within certain limits, whether he believed the
doctrines of the preacher, or not, to*assist in his support. A large
portion of the people had been, for many years, in the habit of sup-
porting two ministers ; one by compulsion, whom they would not
hear ; the other, whose doctrines accorded with their own, and whom,
of course, they heard, and voluntarily maintained. This grievance
was, after many years' endurance, finally removed, thus proving the
truth of the assertion, < that liberty is born with us, and prevails
against all opposition even in civil, much more in religious affairs?
May 2Sth. Captain Joshua Coffin and Nathan Pierce, were
chosen by the union society ' a committee to petition the general
court for liberty for the inhabitants of the first parish to attend upon
and support ye publick worship where they please in said parish
and not be taxed elsewhere.'
June 2d. The union society chose a committee, to treat with the
court's committee, June tenth, with respect to the points of difference
in the first parish. The founders of the union society, held their
first meeting January second, and on January thirtieth, chose a
committee of seven to build a meeting-house.
The division of the Newbury regiment, this year, by governoi
Bernard, caused great excitement and opposition among the militia,
as, in their language, ' it deprived the second regiment of its dignity
30
234 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
and station and degraded it to the rank of the seventh and last
regiment in the county without any regard to justice or the honor
of a soldier.' The soldiers would not train, the officers resigned,
those who accepted commissions were mobbed, and all attempts to
reconcile them to the new arrangement, proved utterly abortive.
1767.
January. It should be mentioned, as a . gratifying circumstance,
that the separation of the third from the first society, was made
in the most amicable manner. Messrs. Gary and Marsh had both
been candidates for settlement in the first parish. About one third
of the church preferred Mr. Marsh. The majority then observed to
the minority, i you prefer Mr. Marsh, we, Mr. Gary. If you wish
to settle Mr. Marsh and build a meeting house we will assist you
and give you your part of the church plate,' and so forth. This was
accordingly done ; the house was built, fronting on Brown's square,
and Mr. Marsh and Mr. Gary both settled ; one over the first church
and parish, the other over the third.
This year Benjamin Lunt built a wharf, at the foot of Muzzey's
lane, [now Marlborough street,] ' as there was no wharf convenient
to land lumber, and so forth, upon in the town of Newbury.' %
March 10th. Permission given to Stephen Cross, to set up a
distillery in Newburyport.^
June 21th. Parliament laid a tax on paper, glass, painters'
colors, teas, and so forth.
December 17th. Newburyport granted the petition of Gutting
Moody, Edmund Bartlet, and others, for the use of the town house,
for Mr. Christopher Bridge Marsh to preach in, whose hearers, soon
after, formed the third church and society in Newburyport
1768.
January 15th. A slight shock of an earthquake.!
January 18th. The third church formed, by a separation from
the first church.
April 20th. Young ladies met at the house of reverend Mr.
Parsons, who preached to them a sermon from Proverbs, 31 : 19.
They spun, and presented to Mrs. Parsons two hundred and seventy
skeins of good yarn. They drank liberty tea. This was made
from an herb callepl rib wort.
i Mai; 10th. An exceeding full market, [in Newburyport,] on
account of the ordination tomorrow.' f
' May llth. Reverend Thomas Gary ordained.' f
( May 23d. Commenced framing Mr. Marsh's meeting house,
which was dedicated September fifteenth and Mr. Marsh ordained
October nineteenth.' f
* Newburyport records. t Mr. Samuel Horton's diary.
HISTORY OF* NEWBURY. 235
A quantity of bohea tea, so called, which grew in Pearson town,
Maine, i was received in Newburyport the day that he was ordained.
In the afternoon a dish was made and handed round to a circle of
gentlemen and ladies, who pronounced it to have all the character-
istics of genuine bohea tea.' ^
* June 20th. A shock of an earthquake.' f
September Wth. On this day, as we learn from the Salem Ga-
zette, one ' Joshua Vickery ship carpenter was seized by a mob in
Newburyport, carried by force to the public stocks, and there com-
pelled to sit from three to five o'clock on a sharp stone till he fainted.
He was then carried round town in a cart with a rope round his
neck, with his hands tied behind him, pelted with eggs, gravel and
stones and was much wounded. At night he was carried into a
dark ware house, hand-cuffed with irons, and there compelled to
remain without bed or clothing through the Lord's day till Monday
morning, and no person but his wife allowed to visit him. On
Monday morning the rioters seized a Frenchman, named Francis
Magro, stripped him naked, tarred and feathered him, placed him
in a cart and compelled Vickery to lead the horse about town.'
The cause of these outrages, was, Magro's giving information to
the officers of the customs at Portsmouth, against a vessel, the
owners of which, he supposed were engaged in smuggling. Vick-
ery was suspected, but was afterward proved to be entirely innocent.
This was the second mob in Newburyport, the first occurring in
September, 1765.
October 6th. A fast was kept by the churches of Newbury and
Rowley, according to a vote of the towns, ' on account of the crit-
ical situation of the province.' J
c December 5th. Mr. Richard Noyes fell from his cart and was
killed by the wheel's passing over him.' f
In the autumn of this year, the merchants of the province mutu-
ally bound themselves, not to import, nor to purchase if imported,
any British goods, before January, 1770, or until parliament repealed
the revenue laws.
1769.
March 14£A. Town of Newbury voted, to lend James Hudson
twenty pounds, to assist him in completing his salt works.
April 19th. First church in Newbury voted, that < it is agreeable
that the scriptures be read in publick.'
' April ~L6th. Two boats were overset at Newbury bar and eight
persons drowned, namely, Enoch Stickney, Diamond Currier,
Nathaniel Moulton, and Simeon Woodman of Newburyport, and
Samuel Blaisdell, Philip Gould, John Gould, and Moses Currier
of Amesbury.'f
April 23d. Byfield church voted to make trial of Watts's psalms
and hymns.
* Salem Gazette. t Mr. Samuel Horton's diary. } Town records.
236 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
' My 13£/i, about six minutes before seven o'clock there was an
earthquake.'
i July 19th. This evening the northern lights made an unusually
splendid appearance.'
September kill. Town of Newburyport approved of the non-
importation agreement, and, on September twentieth, voted to return
the 'thanks of the town to the merchants and others of Boston for
their patriotic resolution of nonimportation of goods from Great
Britain,' and so forth.
1770.
From the Massachusetts Spy, January seventeenth, I extract the
following reprint from an English paper.
' The Newbury, captain Rose, from Newbury, in New England,
lies at the Orchard house, Black wall. The above is a raft of tim-
ber in the form of a ship, which came from Newbury to soundings
in twenty-six days and is worthy the attention of the curious.'
This was one of the three or four ships, built in the same manner,
for Mr. Levi, a Jew, one of which was launched December eleventh,
1769, and another October ninth, 1771.
' February %Ath. An earthquake in a smart snow storm.'
March 13th. Fifty citizens of Newbury petitioned the town, re-
questing them to choose a committee, and order them to offer the
inhabitants 'a subscription to sign against purchasing any goods,'
of certain importers, and also against 'purchasing or using any
foreign tea in our families upon any account,' and so forth. They
also petition, ' that the names of such persons as shall refuse to sign
said subscription may by a vote of the town be recorded in the town
book that posterity may know, who in this day of public calamity
are enemies to the liberties of their country and their memorial be
had in everlasting detestation,' ^ and much more to the same pur-
nose. ' The petition was read and accepted and the measures
herein requested were adopted by an unanimous vote of the town,'
and a committee ' of sixteen persons chosen to offer a subscription
to ye inhabitants of the town to sign.' "% The following is an exact
copy of this patriotic pledge, which I find in the handwriting of
Joshua Coffin, esquire, one of the sixteen.
1 Whereas it evidently appears to be absolutely Necessary for ye Political
welfare of this Province to Discourage and by all Lawful Means Endeavour to
prevent ye Transportation of Goods from Great Britain, and Encourage Industry,
Oeconomy and Manufactures amongst our Selves
( We. therefore, ye Subscribers being Willing to Contribute our Mite for the
Publick Good, do hereby promise and Engage to and with each other, That we
will as much as in us lies promote and Encourage ye use and Consumption of
all useful Articles Manufactured in this Province, and that we will not (Know-
ingly) on any pretence whatever, purchase any Goods of, or have any Concerns
by way of Trade with John Bernard, James McMasters, Patrick McMasters,
* Newbury records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 237
John Mein, Nathaniel Rogers, William Jackson Theophilus Lillie, John Taylor
And Ame and Elizabeth Cummin, all of Boston, or Israel Williams Esquire
and Son of Hatfield, or Henry Bams of Marlborough, or any Person acting by
or under them or any of them, or any other person or persons whomsoever that
shall or may import Goods from Great Britain contrary to ye Agreement of ye
United Body of Merchants, or of any Persons that purchases of or Trades with
them, or any of them ye sd Importers before a General Importation takes place
(Debts before Contracted only excepted.)
1 And if it doth or may hereafter appear, that there is any Ship Builder in
Newbury Port, or any other Town wheresoever in New England, that has so
little Regard for ye Publick welfare, as to undertake to Build any Ship Schoon-
er, or Sea-faring Vessel for any Foreigner, or any other Person And take ye pay
for ye Same, or any part thereof, in Goods Imported Contrary to ye Agreement
of sd Merchants, We promise and Engage not to have any Connection by way
of Trade and Commerce (Debts before Contracted only excepted) with any Such
Ship Builder, nor sell them any Materials for Building any Sucn Vessels. But
we will look upon all such Ship Builders (as well as Importers and Traders
with Importers) as persons Destitute of ye principles of Common Humanity
(Sway'd only by their own Private Interest) Enemies to their Country and wor-
thy of Contempt. And whereas a great part of ye Revenue arising by virtue of
ye Acts of Parliament, is produced from the duty paid on Tea. We do therefore
Solemnly Promise not to purchase any Foreign Tea, or Suffer it to be us'd in
our Families upon any Account until! ye sd Revenue Acts are Repeal'd or a
General Importation takes place, And we will each one of us, as we have proper
Opportunitys Recommend to all persons to do ye same. And we do hereby of
our Own free will and Accord Solemnly promise to and with Each Other, That
we will without Evasion or Equivocation Faithfully and truly Keep and Observe
all that is above written, And whosoever shall or may Sign these Articles, And
afterwards ( Knowingly J break ye same shall by us be esteemed as a Covenant
Breaker, an Enemy to his Country, a Friend to slavery, Deserving Contempt.
1 All and Singular of these Articles to Continue and Remain in Force untill
ye sd Acts be RepeaFd, or a General Importation takes place.
• As Witness our Hands.'
March 23d. Town of Newburyport voted * that this town will
not use or buy any foreign tea and do what they can to discourage
it in others,' and, on April third, voted ' to refrain from all foreign or
India tea,' and also ' voted to choose a committee of ten men as a
committee of inspection to inspect the transactions of this town
respecting the importation of goods into the town contrary to ye
agreement of the merchants of Boston and elsewhere.' This com-
mittee prepared a subscription paper, ' for all those to sign, who are
determined not to buy or sell or use any tea in their families,' and
were desired 'to lay before the town the names of those, who refuse
to sign,' and ' if there should be any others, who sign the agreement
and do n't duly regard it.'
The honorable Caleb Gushing, in his history of Newburyport,
says, that the meeting of April third, was called on suspicion l that
a wagon load of tea had been brought into town.'
April 12th. The duties on all articles, were repealed by parlia-
ment, except that on tea.
May 24th. The town of Newbury petitioned the general court,
to pass an act to prevent the destruction of bass in the river Parker.
This is the first petition of the kind that I have seen from
Newbury.
238 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
May 24:th. The town of Newbury voted to grant the petition of
Benjamin Pettingell, and ninety-nine others, who desired, in sub-
stance, that they might attend public worship in any part of New-
bury or Newburyport, ' where they choose,' ' and pay where they
attend and no where else.' The town also, at the same meeting,
1 chose Nathan Pierce, Joshua Coffin and Samuel Greenleaf esquires
a committee to petition the general court to confirm the above
vote by a law of the province.' The town also voted ' that Stephen
Brown be added to the tea committee, and the time for subscribing
be lengthened until the autumn.' ^
My. This summer, the country was visited with immense
armies of worms, supposed to be the same species with those that
came in 1736. ' This worm,' says doctor Dwight, ' was a caterpillar
nearly two inches in length, striped longitudinally with a very deep
brown, and white ; its eyes very large, bright and piercing, its move-
ments very rapid, and its numbers infinite. Its march was from
west to east. Walls and fences were no obstruction to its course,
nor indeed was any thing else, except the sides of trenches, which
were plowed, or dug before it, and in which immense multitudes of
these animals died.' Multitudes of these trenches were dug in
Newbury, and many fields were in this way preserved. There was
also a drought this summer, and, on July nineteenth, ' Benjamin
Poor's barn in Newbury new town was consumed by lightning.'
September 30th. Sunday morning, about six o'clock, died the
reverend George Whitefield, in Newburyport, at the house of the
reverend Jonathan Parsons. From the seventeenth to the twentieth,
he had preached every day in Boston. On the twenty-first, he went
to Portsmouth, where he preached daily, from the twenty-third to the
twenty-ninth ; once at Kittery, and once at York. On Saturday, the
twenty-ninth, he preached nearly two hours, at Exeter, in the open
air. In the afternoon, he rode to Newburyport, as he had engaged
to preach in Newburyport the next morning. He had preached in
Newburyport, September tenth and eleventh, and perhaps at other
times, as Mr. Samuel Horton says, in his diary, 1 1 subscribed five
pounds old tenor to be remitted to Mr. Whitefield in consideration
of his abundant labours in Newburyport.' It was owing to the
labors of Mr. Whitefield, that the first presbyterian church in
Newburyport was formed, and, in the language of Mr. Gushing,
i whatever may be thought of the peculiar opinions of Mr. Whitefield
certain it is that his eloquence as a preacher was unrivalled ; and
his zeal for the cause he taught, of the highest character. The fruits
of his ministration here were great and striking ; and the establish-
ment of the society under consideration afforded proof of the per-
manency of its effects.' f He was buried beneath the pulpit, in
the church in Federal street, in which a cenotaph was erected to his
memory, in 1829, by the munificence of the late William Bartlet,
esquire.
* Newbury records. t History of Newburyport.
\ i ,
s
HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
239
NORTH WEST VIEW OF THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
NEWBURYPORT, MASS.,
IN WHICH ARE DEPOSITED THE REMAINS OF
REV. GEORGE WHITEFIELD.
INCLUDING A DISTANT VIEW OF THE HOUSE IN WH-ICH HE DIED,
1771.
March VZth. A great freshet, and great destruction of bridges,
and so forth.
March 29th. Abraham Larkin, an Irishman, was crushed to
death, while examining the machinery in the top of the windmill,
at the south end of Frog pond.
May 28th. The town again voted, that Joshua Coffin, esquire,
and others, who were chosen May twenty-fourth, 1770, to prefer a
petition to the general court, l be now instructed to use their utmost
influence to get the said vote passed into a law of the province at
the next sessions of the general court.' %•
* Newbury records.
240 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
1772.
January 3Qth. Sloop Three Friends, captain Mark Foran, from
Greenock, in Scotland, was cast away on Plum island.
February 1.0th. Captain Thomas Parsons sailed from Newbury-
port, in a schooner, for the West Indies ; was wrecked at St. Mary's,
Nova Scotia. It was supposed, that he, with all his crew, eight in
number, were massacred by the inhabitants there, after plundering
the vessel, and setting it on fire.
March 26lh. First parish voted to erect a steeple on the meeting-
house, to hang the bell in.
June 18th. Snow fell in Newbury.
July 6th. The first parish ' voted to put up a copper weather
cock on the top of the pyramid ' of the meeting-house. This was
substituted for the iron one, which was made at the time the meeting-
house was erected, from colonel Thomas Noyes's old iron dripping
pan. So Mr. Robert Adams was informed, by Mr. Joseph Noyes,
then ninety years of age.
Newburyport held a meeting, December twenty-third, and New-
bury, December twenty-ninth, and chose committees, the former of
twelve persons, the latter of sixteen, ' to take under consideration our
publick grievances,' and ' the infringement of our rights and liber-
ties,' and to report, and so forth. In both meetings, allusion was
made to the able pamphlet ' received from Boston,' and of their
proceedings at a meeting, November twentieth.
4 December. The whole of this month very warm, rain every
three or four days. On the thirtieth there was no more ice in the
river than in June.' *
1773.
January 1st. Newburyport held an adjourned meeting, to hear
the report of their committee, whose ( letter was read and accepted,7
a copy ordered ' to be sent to the committee of correspondence of
the town of Boston.' The town also ' voted that captain Jonathan
Greenleaf, our representative, be acquainted that it is the desire and
expectation of this town that he will persevere with steadiness and
resolution in conjunction with his brethren in the honorable house of
representatives to use his utmost endeavours to procure a full and
complete redress of all our publick grievances, and to do every thing
in his power in order that the present and succeeding generations
may have the full enjoyment of all those privileges and advantages,
which naturally and necessarily result from our glorious constitution.'
January 4th. Town of Newbury held a meeting, and voted,
unanimously, * to accept the report of their committee and that it
be entered among the records of the town, there to stand as a last-
* Reverend Moses Hale's diary.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 241
ing memorial of the sense they have of their invaluable rights and
of their steady determination to defend them in every lawful way
as occasion may require/ '
The report of the committee, which may be found on the town
records, is an able and spirited document, but is too long for publi-
cation. Both Newbury and Newburyport most cordially thank the
inhabitants of Boston, 'for their vigilance and patriotic zeal,' and
chose a committee of correspondence, ' to correspond with the town
of Boston and such others as they shall think proper,' and so forth.
February 4th. The first parish ' voted not to release any of the
pretended churchmen,' [from paying taxes.]
1 August 14£/z. About eight o'clock there was in Salisbury and
part of Amesbury the most violent tornado, or short hurricane, per-
haps ever known in the country. It continued about three minutes,
in which time it damaged, or entirely prostrated, nearly two hundred
buildings. It removed two vessels one of them of ninety tons,
twenty-two feet from the stocks. The vein of the tempest was
about a quarter of a mile in width on the river and about a mile
and a half in length.'
September 23d. Dudley Colman chosen town clerk of Newbury.
September 28th. Inferior court held in Newburyport From the
Salem Gazette, I make the following extract
October, 1773. Extract of a letter from Newburyport. October
tenth. ' We have lately had our court week when the novel case
of Caesar against his master in an action of fifty pounds lawful
money damages for detaining him in slavery was litigated before a
jury of the county, who found for the plaintiff eighteen pounds
damages, and costs.' The defendant was Mr. Richard Greenleaf.
For a more full account of this case in particular, and of the trans-
actions concerning slavery in Newbury, see appendix, H.
' November 26th. Town of Newbury chose a committee of five
persons to prevent the inoculation of the small pox at the house of
Moses Little esquire, and also voted not to suffer inoculation in the
town.'
December 4tth. On this day, the first number of a paper, called
the Essex Journal and New Hampshire Packet, was published, in
Newburyport, by Isaiah Thomas and Henry Walter Tinges. This
was distributed gratis. The next number was published December
twenty-ninth.
December 22d. Town of Newbury met and voted, unanimously,
1 not to receive the tea sent by the East India company to America
upon the terms, we are informed it is now sent upon.
' Voted unanimously that this town will use their utmost endeav-
ours to hinder the importation of tea in America so long as the
duty shall remain thereon either by the East India company, or in
any other way whatever.
1 Voted to choose a committee to draw up what shall appear to
them the sense of this town and make report at an adjourned
meeting.'
31
242 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
< December 9th. At a numerous [informal] meeting of the people
of Newburyport and others, a committee of five was chosen, who
reported the following, which was accepted. ' We have taken into
consideration the late proceedings of the town of Boston relating
to the importation of tea by the East India company into America,
and do acquiesce in their proceedings and are determined to give
them all the assistance in our power even at the risque of our lives
and fortunes.1 '
December 'Loth. On this day, the people of Boston, having pre-
viously tried, without success, to send back the three tea ships that
had arrived, and, determined that it should not be used, a party of
armed men, disguised as Indians, boarded the ships, and threw their
whole cargoes into the docks.
' As the Mohawks kind of thought,
The Yankees had n't ought,
To drink that are tea.'
December 16th. At a legal meeting of the freeholders, and other
inhabitants of Newburyport, the committee chosen for that purpose,
1 reported the following draft of a letter to be sent to the committee
of correspondence of the town of Boston,' which was adopted at
an adjourned meeting, December twentieth.
' Gentlemen, it is with astonishment that we reflect on the unremitted efforts
of the British ministry and parliament to fasten ruin and infamy upon these
colonies. They not only claim a right to control and tax us at their pleasure,
but are practising every species of fraud as well as violence their deluded
minds can suppose feasible to support and establish this absurd and injurious
claim. A fresh instance we have in the plan lately adopted for supplying the
colonies with tea. If the money thus unconstitutionally taken from us was to
be expended for our real benefit and advantage it would still be grievous, as the
method of obtaining it is of a dangerous nature and most fatal tendency. But
we lose all patience when we consider that the industrious Americans are to be
stript of their honest earnings to gratify the humours of lawless and ambitious
men and to support in idleness and luxury a parcel of worthless parasites their
creatures and tools, who are swarming thick upon us and are already become a
notorious burden to the community. We are sorry that any, who call them-
selves Americans are hardy enough to justify these unrighteous proceedings.
They surely deserve the utmost contempt and indignation of all honest men
throughout the world, for our part we shall endeavour to treat them according
to their deserts. By the public prints we are favoured with the sentiments of
several respectable towns in the province, expressed in a number of manly,
sensible and spirited resolves with respect to the evils immediately before us.
We are under great obligations to our worthy friends and brethren, who have
nobly stood forth in this important cause. We assure them that should they
need our assistance in any emergency we determine most readily to exert our
utmost abilities in every manly and laudable way, our wisdom may dictate for
the salvation of our country, even at the hazard of our lives and trusting through
the favour of a kind providence we shall be able to frustrate all the designs of
our enemies.' *
December 28th. Great freshet in Merrimac river.
* Newburyport town records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 243
1774.
January kth. The town of Newbury met, according to adjourn-
ment, and unanimously adopted a long and able report, embracing
fourteen resolutions, of the most spirited and determined tone, con-
cluding as follows.
' And whereas our brethren address us with religious solemnity, and conde-
scend to ask our advice, the committee take leave to offer to the consideration
of the town, the following short address, as appearing to them proper upon the
present important occasion.
' Beloved brethren, let us stand fast in the liberty, wherewith God and the
British constitution in conjunction with our own, have made us free, that neither
we, nor our posterity after us (through any fault of ours) be entangled with the
yoke of bondage.' *
During this period of apprehension and excitement, which were
preparing the people for .the arduous conflict before them, they
found opportunities for amusement, peculiar to their situation.
Many cases like the following might be given, which I relate on
the testimony of an eye witness, the late Mr. Caleb Greenleaf, of
Haverhill, and the public papers.
February 15th. One Holland Shaw, having been detected in
stealing a shirt, was immediately taken before a sort of ex tempore
court, convened for the occasion, was sentenced as follows, namely,
' that he parade through the principal streets of the town, accompa-
nied by the town crier with his drum.' The sentence was forthwith
put into execution. The town crier, William Douglass, with his
brass barreled drum, and the thief with the shirt, headed the proces-
sion, which took up its line of march. The paper of that day
informs us, c that he was compelled to proclaim his crime and pro-
duce the evidence, which was the shirt with the sleeves tied round
his neck, the other part on his back.' The proclamation, which he
was compelled to utter with a loud voice, was, ' I stole this shirt,
which is tied round my neck from Mr. Joseph Coffin's house in
Salisbury, and I am very sorry for it.' Having been thus marched
through the principal streets, and satisfied the demands of this new
court of justice, he was dismissed, and never, after that night, was
he seen in Newburyport. Another person, who had stolen a quan-
tity of salt fish, was compelled to make atonement for his offence,
by parading through the streets, holding a s'alt fish in his hand,
above his head, and proclaiming his crime in a similar manner :
< I stole this fish and five quintals more.' An English sailor was
also marched round the town, with a pair of stolen breeches tied
round his neck, informing the people what he had, and how he
obtained them.
April 19th. Battle at Lexington.
Intelligence having been received in England, on March seventh,
* Newbury records.
244 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
of the manner in which the Bostonians had disposed of the East
India company's tea, passed an act, which went into operation June
first, by which the harbor of Boston was closed against the entrance,
or departure, of any vessels. It was called the ' Boston port bill.'
June 17th. Battle of Bunker hill.
June 23d. ' The town of Newbury met to take into consideration
certain letters sent from the committee of correspondence in Boston
to the committee of correspondence in Newbury, the following
answer was taken by yeas and nays without one dissenting voice.'
1 As there is a general congress of the colonies proposed to consider and ad-
vise on the present distressed state of our civil and commercial affairs, we can-
not think it safe, decent or suitable to go into any decisive binding engagements
previous to that, but to assure our brethren through the continent of our hearty
good wishes to the common cause of liberty and our country, do now testify
that we can with the utmost freedom and cheerfulness agree to discontinue all
commerce with Great Britain and with all importers of goods from thence, or
those who shall refuse to comply with these, or any other measures, that shall
be determined by the said congress so long as shall by them be judged expedi-
ent and necessary for the opening Boston harbor and recovering and perpetua-
ting all our just rights and liberties.'^
August 3d. The town of Newburyport held a meeting, and,
among other things, ' voted unanimously that this town will stand
by the result of the congress even if it be to the stopping of all
trade.' ' Voted also to send two hundred pounds for the relief of
indigent persons in the town of Boston.'
August 9th. ' Town of Newbury voted to send two hundred
pounds to purchase provisions to be sent and given to the suffering
inhabitants of the town of Boston.'
September 22d. l The town of Newbury chose the honorable
Joseph Gerrish esquire as their representative and voted that he be
directed and instructed not to be qualified for his seat in the house
by any oi the councilors, who have received their commission by
mandamus from his majesty but by the council chosen by the house
of representatives agreeable to the charter of this province.' %•
October 3d. The town of Newburyport met, and gave instruc-
tions to captain Jonathan Greenleaf, their representative, of the most
derermined and decided character. I have only room for the fol-
lowing extract. ' Armed ships and armed men are the arguments
to compel our obedience and the more than implicit language that
these utter is that we must submit or die. But God grant that
neither of these may be our unhappy fate. We design not madly
to brave our own destruction, and we do not thirst for the blood of
others, but reason and religion demand of us that we guard our
invaluable rights at the risque of both,' and so forth.
October 2Ath. The town of Newburyport held a meeting, and
' voted that all the inhabitants be desired to furnish themselves with
arms and ammunition and have bayonets fixed to their guns as soon
as may be.
* Newbury records.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 245
* Voted also that no effigies be carried about or exhibited on the
fifth of November or other time only in the day time.'
December 2Sth. Town of Newburyport chose Tristram Dalton,
esquire, captain Jonathan Greenleaf, and Mr. Stephen Cross, 'to
represent this town in the provincial congress to be held at Cam-
bridge in February next.'
1775.
The people of Newbury and Newburyport, having made all
necessary preparations, and taken all needful precautions, for their
protection, and the preservation of their invaluable rights and priv-
ileges, and given utterance to their feelings, in the most determined
and decided tone, prior to the commencement of this year, soon
discovered that nothing short of a severe and bloody contest, or
unconditional submission, was before them. With them, submission
was out of the question, and events soon transpired, which made it
manifest, that they must buckle on their armor, and sumrnon all
their energies, for the coming conflict For this, they were with
great unanimity prepared, come when it might On the twenty-
sixth of February, general Gage sent colonel Leslie from castle
William to Salem, to seize some military stores. This, the people
would not permit him to do, and, had it not been for the prudent
interposition of the reverend Thomas Barnard, of Salem, (formerly
of Newbury,) and others, the war of the revolution would have
begun at Salem, instead of Lexington. The fight at Lexington,
the skirmish at Concord, April nineteenth, and the battle at Bunker
hill, June seventeenth, precluded all hope of an amicable settlement
of the controversy. The spirits of the people rose with the occasion.
In the midst, however, of their excitement, an event occurred, which,
whether arising from accident, or a regular preconcerted plan, it is
impossible to say, occasioned, for a time, great anxiety and distress
among the people, and in which, on a review of all the circum-
stances connected with it, there appeared such a curious commin-
gling of the comic, the ludicrous, and the distressing, as would
afford ample materials for a volume of amusement Those who
witnessed the scene, can never forget it, and those who did not, can
have but a faint idea of it from any description. I allude now, to
what has been usually called 'the Ipswich fright,' which happened
on this wise. On Friday afternoon, April twenty-first, the second
day after the Lexington fight, the people of Newburyport held an
informal meeting, at the town house, and, just as the reverend
Thomas Gary was about opening the meeting with prayer, a mes-
senger rushed up stairs, in breathless haste, crying out, ' for God's
sake, turn out ! turn out ! or you will all be killed ! The regulars
are marching this way, and will soon be here. They are now at
Ipswich, cutting and slashing all before them ! ' The messenger
proved to be Mr. Ebenezer Todd, who stated that he had been sent
from Rowley, to warn the people of their impending destruction.
246 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
The news spread like wildfire, and being generally credited, the
consternation became almost universal, and as a large part of the
militia had marched to the scene of action, early the next morning
after the fight at Lexington, the terror and alarm among the women
and children, was proportionably increased, especially, as, from all
quarters, was heard the cry, ' the regulars are coming ! They are
down to Old town bridge, cutting, and slashing, and killing all
before them ! They '11 soon be here ! ' It is remarkable, that the
same story, in substance, was simultaneously told, from Ipswich to
Coos. In every place, the report was, that the regulars were but a
few miles behind them. In Newbury New town, it was said, they had
advanced as far as Artichoke river, at Newburyport they were at Old
town bridge ; there, they were said to be at Ipswich, while, at the latter
place, the alarm was the same. Mr. Eliphalet Hale, of Exeter, was at
the latter place, and waited to ascertain the correctness of the report.
Learning that it was without foundation, he made haste to unde-
ceive the people, by riding from Ipswich to Newbury in fifty min-
utes. In the mean time, all sorts of ludicrous things were done, by
men and women, to escape impending destruction. All sorts of
vehicles, filled with all sorts of people, together with hundreds on
foot, were to be seen, moving with all possible speed, farther north,
somewhere, to escape the terrible * regulars.' Their speed was accele-
rated, by persons who rode at full speed through the streets, crying,
' flee for your lives ! flee for your lives ! the regulars are coming ! '
Some crossed the river for safety. Some in Salisbury, went to Hamp-
ton, and spent the night in houses vacated by their owners, who
had gone on the same errand farther north. The houses at Turkey
hill, were filled with women and children, who spent the night in
great trepidation. One man yoked up his oxen, and, taking his own
family, and some of his neighbor's children, in his cart, drove off to
escape the regulars. Another, having concealed all his valuable
papers, under a great stone, in his field, fastened his doors and win-
dows, and, having loaded his musket, resolved to sell his life as
dearly as possible. One woman, having concealed all her pewter
and silver ware, in the well, filled a bag with pies and other edibles,
and set off with it and her family for a safer place, but having trav-
eled some distance, and deposited her bag, to make some inquiry,
she found, on her return, that there had been ' cutting and slashing,'
not, indeed, by the regulars among the people, but by the irregulars
among her provisions. Another woman, as I am informed, having
run four or five miles, in great trepidation, stopped on the steps of
the reverend Mr. Noble's meeting-house, to nurse her child, and found,
to her great horror, that she brought off the cat, and left her child at
home. In another instance, a Mr. , having placed his family
on board of a boat, to go to Ram island, for safety, was so annoyed
-with the crying of one of his children, that he exclaimed, in a great
fright, ' do throw that squalling brat overboard, or we shall all be
•discovered ! ' A Mr. J L , seeing Mr. C H , a
-very corpulent man, standing at his door, with his musket loaded,
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 247
inquired of him if he was not going. ' Going ? no/ said he, 1 1
am going to stop and shoot the devils ! ' Propositions were made
by some persons, to destroy Thorla's, and the river Parker, bridges,
while many acted a more rational part, and resolutely refused to
move a step, or credit the whole of the flying stories, without more
evidence. How, or by whom, or with what motives, the report wa&
first started, no one can tell. It lasted in Newbury and Newbury-
port, but one night, and in the morning,, all who had been informed
that the rumor was without foundation,
1 Returned safe home, right glad to save
Their property from pillage ;
And all agreed to blame the man,
Who first alarmed the village.'
As was previously remarked, the fight at Lexington was on
Wednesday, April nineteenth, and, as soon as the news reached New-
buryport and Newbury, which was about midnight, a large number
of soldiers were on their march to the field of action. Two compa-
nies from Newbury, and two from Newburyport, were soon on the
ground, ready for any emergency which might occur. In another
place, something more will be found, concerning the part which
Newbury and Newburyport took, during the trying scenes of the
revolution, and the names of some of the actors ; also a brief sum-
mary, of some of the events connected with the privateering business,
in which the people of Newburyport were very extensively engaged.
From a journal of every day's proceedings, kept by lieutenant
Paul Lunt, I make a few extracts.
1 May tenth, 1775, marched from Newburyport with sixty men, captain Ezra
Lunt, commander, and May twelfth at eleven o'clock arrived at Cambridge.
June fourteenth, some ships and transports arrived at Boston with two hundred
horse and three thousand troops. June sixteenth, our men went to Charlestown
and intrenched on a hill beyond Bunker's hill. They fired from the ships and
Copps' hill all the time. June seventeenth, the regulars landed a number of
troops and we engaged them. They drove us off the hill and burned Charles-
town. July second, at night general Washington came into the camp. July
third, turned out early in the morning, got in readiness to be reviewed by the
general. July eighteenth. This morning a manifesto was read by the reverend
Mr. Leonard, chaplain to the Connecticut forces upon Prospect hill in Charles-
town. Our standard was presented in the midst of the regiments with this in-
scription upon it : APPEAL TO HEAVEN, after which Mr. Leonard made a
short prayer and there we were dismissed by the discharge of a cannon, three
cheers, and a war-whoop by the Indians.' l July thirty-first. At four P. M. they
[the British,] sent out a flag of trace, desiring a cessation of arms for three
hours, but it was not granted. One of the riflemen shot at the flag staff of the
truce and cut it off above his hand/
General Washington, having projected an expedition against
Quebec, determined to send out a detachment, from his camp, at
Boston, to march by the way of the Kennebec river, through the
wilderness. As that detachment passed through Newbury and
Newburyport, and encamped here on its way to Canada, a short
account of it will not be unacceptable. In lieutenant Paul Lunt's
journal, I find the following.
248 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
'September Wth. Twenty of our company enlisted to go to Canada under the
command of captain Ward. September thirteenth. In the afternoon the regi-
ment marched from Cambridge to Newburyport, there to embark for Canada
under the command of colonel [Benedict] Arnold, lieutenant colonel [Christo-
pher] Greene [of Rhode Island,] and Major [Timothy] Bigelow [of Massachu-
setts.] Captain Ward commanded the company that the Newbury men
enlisted in.'
One of the men from Newburyport, who was a soldier in this
disastrous expedition, was Mr. Caleb Haskell, who kept a journal
of the march, and of the hardships and privations endured by the
troops. This journal, I have never been able to obtain, though it
has been read by many with thrilling interest. I shall therefore
make a few extracts from major Return J. Meigs's journal.
' 1775, September 16th. In the morning continued our march and at ten o'clock
A. M. arrived at Newburyport and encamped. *
* Seventeenth, Sunday. Attended divine service at the reverend Mr. Parsons's
meeting. Dined at Mr. Nathaniel Tracy's.
'Eighteenth. Dined at Mr. Tristram Dalton's.
' Nineteenth. Embarked our whole detachment consisting of ten companies
of musketmen, and three companies of riflemen, amounting to eleven hundred
men on board ten transports.! I embarked myself on board the sloop Britannia.
The fleet came to sail at ten o'clock A. M. and sailed out of the harbour, and
lay to till one o'clock P. M. when we received orders to sail for Kennebeck fifty
leagues from Newburyport,' and so forth.
In addition to the names already given, of persons who accom-
panied the army, may be mentioned the late reverend Samuel
Spring, of Newburyport, who officiated as chaplain, Matthew
Ogden and Aaron Burr, of New Jersey, John I. Henry, afterward
judge Henry, of Pennsylvania, captain, afterward general Henry
Dearborn, of New Hampshire, captain Daniel Morgan, commander
of the riflemen, with captains William Kendricks and Matthew
Smith, of Pennsylvania, and many others less known. From the
following letters,^ from general Arnold, it appears that he arrived
at Fort Western, as early as September twenty-seventh. The
transports landed the men at Pittstqn, Maine, where the batteaux
were built. The result of this expedition, which arrived at Quebec,.
November ninth, is well known.
'Fort Western, 21th September, 1775.
1 To captain Moses Nowell, •
Newburyport :
'Sir:
* You are hereby ordered to receive from captain James Clarkson, one James
McCormick, a criminal condemned for the murder of Reuben Bishop, and him
safely convey under a proper guard, to his excellency general Washington at
head quarters.
I am your humble servant,
B. ARNOLD.'
* The riflemen under captain Morgan, encamped in the field at the corner of Rolfe's
lane. The other troops occupied two of the rope walks in town.
t The following are the names of some of these vessels : schooner Broad Bay, captain
Clarkson; sloop Britannia; sloop Admiral.
\ Maine Historical Society's Collection, volume first, page 358.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 249
'Fort Western, 28th September, 1775.
Mr. Nathaniel Tracy :
'Dear Sir:
' This will be handed you by captain Clarkson who will acquaint you with
the particulars of our voyage, which has been very troublesome indeed.
I To captain Clarkson I am under many obligations for his activity, vigilance
and care of the whole fleet, both on our passage and since our arrival here ; for
which he may very possibly be blamed by some of the other captains ; but he
has really merited much, and it will always give me a sensible pleasure to hear
of his welfare and success, as I think him very deserving.
I 1 must embrace this opportunity to acknowledge the many favours received
from you at Newbury ; and am with my best respects to Mrs. Tracy, your
brother and Mr. Jackson, and so forth,
Dear sir, yours, and so forth,
B. ARNOLD.'
NOTE. Some writers, among whom are judge Marshall and reverend doctor
Holmes, mistake in stating that a company of artillery under captain John
Lamb, accompanied Arnold's expedition. Setting aside the impossibility of
transporting heavy cannon and balls, and so forth, and so forth, through the
wilderness, between the Kennebec and the Chaudiere, we have the positive
assertion of contemporary journals,^ that captain Lamb, with a company of ar-
tillery, was, August twenty-eighth, 1775, posted on the battery, in New York
city, and that, on the eighteenth of September, captain L., (having gone by the
way of the Hudson river, to join general Montgomery,!) arrived at Cumberland
"bay, fifty miles from Montgomery's camp at isle aux Noix,
For the above note, copies of the preceding letters, and other
information, which I have been under the necessity of abridging, I
am indebted to the politeness of reverend William S. Bartlet, now
of Chelsea. I regret that I have not room for the whole communi-
cation. Other facts and incidents demand a passing notice. Among
them, maybe mentioned, the annual celebration .of an event, which,
from the first settlement of New England, till this year, was deemed
worthy of public commemoration. I allude to the discovery of the
4 gunpowder plot,' which took place November fifth, 1605. The
last public celebration of ; pope day,' so called, in Newbury and
Newburyport, occurred this year. ' To prevent any tumult or dis-
order taking place during the evening or night,' the town of New-
buryport voted, October twenty-fourth, 1774, ' that no effigies be
carried about or exhibited on the fifth of November only in the day
time.' Motives of policy afterward induced the discontinuance of
this custom, which has now become obsolete. This year, the cele-
bration went off with a great flourish. (In the day time, companies
of little boys might be seen, in various parts of the town, with their
little popes, dressed up in the most grotesque and fantastic manner,
which they carrried about, some on boards, and some on little car-
riages, for their own and others' amusement. But the great exhibi-
tion was reserved for the night, in which young men, as well as
boys, participated. They first constructed a huge vehicle, varying,
at times, from twenty to forty feet long, eight or ten wide, and five
* New York Gazette and Weefclv Messenger, September eleventh, 1775, and t Octo-
ber fifth, 1775.
32
250 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
or six high, from the lower to the upper platform, on the front of
which, they erected a paper lantern, capacious enough to hold, in
addition to the lights, five or six persons. Behind that, as large as
life, sat the mimic pope, and several other personages, monks, friars,
and so forth. Last, but not least, stood an image of what was de-
signed to be a representation of old Nick himself, famished with
a pair of huge horns, holding in his hand a pitchfork, and otherwise
accoutred, with all the frightful ugliness that their ingenuity could
devise. Their next step, after they had mounted their ponderous
vehicle on four wheels, chosen their officers, captain, first and second
lieutenant, purser, and so forth, placed a boy under the platform, to
elevate and move round, at proper intervals, the movable head of
the pope, and attached ropes to the front part of the machine, was,
to take up their line of march through the principal streets of the
lowjjj Sometimes, in addition to the images of the pope and his
company, there might be found, on the same platform, half a dozen
dancers, and a fiddler, whose
c Hornpipes, jigs, strathspeys, and reels.
Put life and mettle in their heels,'
together with a large crowd, who made up a long procession. Their
custom was, to call at the principal houses in various parts of the
town, ring their bell, cause the pope to elevate his head, and look
round upon the audience, and repeat the following lines.
' The fifth of November,
As you well remember,
Was gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the gunpowder treason,
Should ever be forgot.
When the first king James the sceptre swayed,
This hellish powder plot was laid.
Thirty-six barrels of powder placed down below,
All for old England's overthrow :
Happy the man, and happy the day,
That caught Guy Fawkes in the middle of his play.
You '11 hear our bell go jink, jink, jink ;
Pray madam, sirs, if you'll something give,
We '11 burn the dog, and never let him live.
We '11 burn the dog without his head,
And then you 'W say the dog is dead.
From Rome, from Rome, the pope is come,
All in ten thousand fears ;
The fiery serpent's to be seen, .
All head, mouth, nose, and ears.
The treacherous knave had so contrived,
To blow king parliament all up all alive.
God by his grace he did prevent
To save both king and parliament.
Happy the man, and happy the day,
That catched Guy Fawkes in the middle of his play.
Match touch, catch prime,
In the good nick of time.
Here is the pope that we have got,
The whole promoter of the plot,
We '11 stick a pitchfork in his back,
And throw him in the fire.'
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 251
After the verses were repeated, the purser stepped forward, and
took up his collection. Nearly all on whom they called, gave
something. Esquire Atkins and esquire Dalton, always gave a
dollar apiece. After perambulating the town, and finishing their
collections, they concluded their evening's entertainment with a
splendid supper ; after making, with the exception of the wheels,
and the heads of the effigies, a bonfire of the whole concern, to
which were added, all the wash tubs, tar barrels, and stray lumber,
that they could lay their hands on. With them, the common cus-
tom was, to steal all the stuff. But those days have long since
passed away. The last exhibition of the kind, took place this year.
The principal cause of its discontinuance, was, an unwillingness to
displease the French, whose assistance was deemed so advantageous
during the revolution.
1776-
February 3cL Newburyport gave to the town of Boston, two
hundred and two pounds, ten shillings, and two pence, Mr. Parsons' s
parish gave ten pounds, sixteen shillings, and four pence, Mr. Tuck-
er's parish, in Newbury, gave forty-six pounds, four shillings, and
two pence, and Mr. Noble's gave nine pounds and six pence.
These were in addition to the four hundred pounds given by the
two towns.
January 15th, Monday. The brig Sukey, captain Engs, ninety
tons, from Ireland, was taken by the Washington, privateer, and
brought into Newburyport, laden with provisions, destined for Bos-
ton. Qn the morning of the same day, a British ship appeared off
Newbury bar. As she lay off and on, several miles from the land,
shewing English colors, and tacking often, the wind being easterly,
with appearance of a storm, it was conjectured by some persons
who observed her from town, that the captain had mistaken Ipswich
bay, for that of Boston, which was then in possession of the British.
On this supposition, several individuals determined to proceed to
sea, and make a closer examination. Accordingly, seventeen per-
sons embarked, in three whale boats, and, as they approached the
ship, being satisfied, by the movements on board, that they were
right in their conjectures, they determined to offer their services as
pilots. For this purpose, they rowed within speaking distance,
when captain Offin Boardman, whom they had previously selected
to act as commodore of their little fleet, hailed the ship, inquiring
whence she came and where bound. The answer was, from Lon-
don, bound to Boston, with the inquiry, where are you from, and
what land is this ? The reply was, from Boston, do you want a
pilot ? Being answered in the affirmative, he told them to heave
the ship to, and he would come on board. This being immediately
done, his boat was rowed to the ship's gangway, and he, passing
up, unarmed, proceeded to. the quarter deck, shook hands with the
captain, inquiring his passage, the news from London, and so forth,
252 HISTORY OF NEWiil.'ilY.
by which time, those in the boats had reached the deck, with their
arms, and were paraded across the gangway, most of the crew
being forward. Captain Boardman then left the quarter deck, and,
to the great surprise of the English captain, and his crew, ordered
the ship's colors struck. This order, the English captain told his
mate, he supposed he must obey. He then observed to. his captors,
that the ship and cargo were their own, but, at the same time, hoped
that neither he nor his crew would receive any injury.
Thus, by a correct conjecture in regard to the ship's situation,
and a well managed finesse in making their approach, they found
themselves in quiet possession of a ship, mounting four carriage
guns, a crew of nearly their own number, and containing fifty-two
chaldrons of coals, eighty-six butts and thirty hogsheads of portery
twenty hogsheads of vinegar, sixteen hogsheads of sour crout, and
twenty-three live hogs, intended for the use of the troops quartered
in Boston. Having placed the officers and crew under safe keep-
ing, and having a fair wind and tide, they arrived at the wharf, in
Newburyport, in less than six hours from the commencement of
their expedition. The ship was called the Friends, was owned in
London, and commanded by captain Archibald Bowie.
The only names of those who composed the party in the whale
boats, which can be ascertained with certainty, are, Offm Boardman,
Joseph Stanwood, John Coombs, Gideon Woodwell, Enoch Hale,
Johnson Lunt, and Cutting Lunt. It ought to be mentioned, that
another company manned the town barge, and proceeded down
river on the same design, but, starting at a later hour, met the ship
within the bar, on her way up to the wharf. These two vessels,
the brig Sukey, and the ship Friends, were the first prizes brought
into Newburyporl. Captains Bowie and Engs, boarded for some
time at Davenport's tavern. The former returned to England r
while the latter concluded to stay in New England, and afterward
commanded a privateer from Newburyport.
The preceding information is derived from various sources, but
principally from a communication from Benjamin Hale, esquire,
postmaster of Newburyport, whose father was one of the party who
captured the ship.
February Wth. The Yankee Hero, captain , took, and
brought into Newburyport, a bark of three hundred tons, loaded
with coal, pork, and flour.
March 1st. The Yankee Hero, captain Thomas, brought into
Newburyport brig Nelly, captain Robinson, from White Haven,
bound to Boston, having two hundred tons of coal, and ten tons
of potatoes.
March 13th. A committee, consisting of Daniel Spofford, Eli-
phalet Spofford, Thomas Noyes, Joseph Brown, and Daniel Chute,
petition the governor and council, to be restored to the second regi-
ment, and conclude by saying, ' that your petitioners congratulate
themselves that the military arrangement is now in the hands of a
government, which will pay a sacred regard to justice and the honor
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 253
of a soldier, which ought ever to remain inviolate, for insult and
disgrace damp his spirits, blast his vigor and unnerve his arm,' and
so forth.
April 9th, Edmund Sawyer chosen town clerk.
' April 22d. Council determined the regiment composed of the
towns of Newburyport, Amesbury and Salisbury shall take rank as
the second regiment.7 So far, therefore, as it respected Newbury,
the petition was not granted.
May 8th. Newburyport voted to erect a fort on Plum island, and,
May sixteenth, voted to hire a sum, not exceeding four thousand
pounds, to defray the expense, and, on May twenty-third, Newbury
appropriated two hundred pounds for the same purpose.
May 27th. Newbury voted to instruct their representatives l that
they after having seriously weighed the state and case of indepen-
dence, act their best judgment and prudence respecting the same.'
May 31st. Newburyport 'voted that if the honorable congress
should for the safety of the united colonies, declare them indepen-
dent of the kingdom of Great Britain, this town will with their lives
and fortunes support them in the measure.'
June 7th. The Yankee Hero, captain James Tracy, had an en-
gagement with the Milford frigate, of twenty-eight guns. It lasted
near two hours, but, as the frigate was vastly superior in force, the
Hero struck.
July 14th. Mr. Oliver Moody was drowned from a wharf.
July 19th. The declaration of independence was published in
Newburyport, and, on the same day, died the reverend Jonathan
Parsons, in his seventy-first year.
'•August llth. Independency read in all the meeting houses.' ^
In August, there was a state fast.
In the Newburyport town records, September second, I find the
following, in the handwriting of Nicholas Pike, esquire, town clerk.
' This meeting was illegal, because the venire for calling it was
in the name of the British tyrant, whose name all America justly
execrates.'
1777.
March 24th. Town of Newbury this day put it to vote, ' to see
if the town would settle in the seventh regiment of militia and it
passed in the negative,' notwithstanding it was stated in the warning
that « a speedy settlement of the militia is a matter of the greatest
importance to our political salvation? This refusal to do ^military
duty in the seventh regiment, to which they had been degraded by
governor Bernard, in March, 1766, as has-been mentioned, the sol-
diers of Newbury continued to manifest, throughout the whole of
the revolutionary contest. The consequence of this refusal, was,
an entire absence of all military subordination, so far as regimental
* S. Horton's journal.
254 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
musters, and so forth, were concerned. This arose, not from any
unwillingness to serve their country, but from a resolute determina-
tion, not to train under any officers, till they should be restored to
their former rank, as soldiers of the second-, and not the seventh reg-
iment. This restoration was effected about the year 1793. This
caused the duty which would otherwise have devolved on the militia
officers, to be performed by the selectmen, and is, perhaps, the only
instance in the state, where the selectmen were obliged to perform
such a service.
May 21st. The town of Newburyport voted ' to impower Jona-
than Boardman to procure and exhibit the evidence that may be
had of the inimical disposition of any person or persons towards
this, or any of the United States,' and, on Jane thirtieth, the town of
Newbury chose Samuel Noyes, to do the same service.
June. 29th. The Hessian prisoners came to town.
June 30th. Town of Newburyport 'voted to allow the soldiers
stationed at Plum island candles, and sweetening for their beer.'
August. Some time this month, the old church, called queen
Anne's chapel, having been unoccupied as a meeting-house after
1766, fell down. It was on the sabbath, a calm and sultry day.
The pews and galleries had been removed some time before, and
other parts had disappeared, piece by piece, till there was not
enough left to hold the frame together.
''August 2lst. Captain William Friend in a sixteen gun ship,
called the Neptune, built in Mr. Cross's yard, sailed, and, when
about a league from the bar, overset and sunk in sixteen fathoms of
water, having on board sixty hands, only one drowned.' ^
1 October 23d. Great numbers of cannon were fired on account
of Burgoyne's defeat, which was October seventeenth, and on De-
cember twenty-eighth a thanksgiving throughout the United States,
on the same account.' ^
1778.
February 12th. Newbury voted, nem. con., * we the inhabitants
of the town of Newbury do hereby give our representatives instruc-
tions to acquiesce in and comply with the articles of confederation,
as we have received them from the honorable continental congress.'
March 26th. The town. of Newburyport 'voted that this town
are of opinion that the mode of representation contained in the
constitution lately proposed by the convention of this state, is une-
qual and unjust, as thereby all the inhabitants of this state are not
equally represented, and that some other parts of the same consti-
tution are not founded on the true principles of government ; and
that a convention of the several towns of this county by their dele-
gates, will have a probable tendency to reform the same agreeably
to the natural rights of mankind and the true principles of govern-
ment.'
* Mr. Samuel Horlon's diary.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 255
* Voted that the selectmen be desired, in behalf and in the name
of the town, to write circular letters to the several towns within the
county, proposing a convention of those towns, by their delegates
to be holden at such time and place as the selectmen shall think
proper: in said circular letters to propose to each of the towns
aforesaid, to send the like number of delegates to said convention,
as the same towns have by law right to send representatives to the
general court.'
' Accordingly the most eminent citizens of this ancient and lead-
ing county assembled at Ipswich and instituted an elaborate exam-
ination of the intended constitution, which was printed with the
title of the Essex Result. The effect of this pamphlet, which is at-
tributed to the mighty mind of Theophilus Parsons, [a native of
Newbury,] then resident in Newburyport^ was perfectly decisive of
the question. The town unanimously voted to reject the proposed
form of government ; and suggested the expediency of calling a
new convention for the sole purpose of framing a constitution more
worthy of Massachusetts.' #
March 3Qth. Town of Newbury voted to grant the petition of
several of the inhabitants of the ' westerly part of the town, wTho
are desirous of being set off into a separate township.'
From March tenth, 1777, to August twenty-second, 1778, the
town of Newbury passed, considered, and reconsidered, many votes
respecting inoculation for the small pox, and were much divided
and excited on the subject. A hospital was for some time kept, on
Kent's island, but, on August twenty-second, the town voted to pe-
tition that ' the small pox may be discontinued in Newbury by inoc-
ulation.' •
December 30th. Thanksgiving through the United States.
1779.
March 9th. The town voted that < the unanimous thanks of the
town be given to Samuel Moody esquire for his generous donation
of one hundred pounds at this time, and of twenty pounds some
time past for the purpose of a growing fund for a grammar school
being kept in the town for the instruction of youth.'
July 25th. An armament, consisting of twenty sail, besides
twenty-four transports, appeared off Penobscot, destined to dislodge
the enemy, but proved exceedingly disastrous. The Pallas, Sky
Rocket, and so forth, sailed from Newburyport. Colonel Moses
Little, of Newbury, was at first appointed to command the expedi-
tion, but declined', on account of ill health. ' August fifteenth,
British recruits came to Penobscot. American forces ran up river
and burned their own shipping.' f
In this year, the business of chaise making was introduced into
Newbury, by James Burgess. The first regular builders, were Na-.
* Cushing's history of Newburyport. t S, Horton's journal.
256 HISTORY OF NEWBURY.
thaniel and Abner Greenleaf. In Belleville, the business was com-
menced by Samuel Greenleaf, in 1792, by Joseph Ridgway, in
1793, by Robert Dodge, in 1795, and by Samuel Rogers, in 1796.
November ll£/i. ' The town of Newbury voted unanimously
that they approve of and accept the proceedings of the late conven-
tion held at Concord in October regulating the prices of merchandise
and country produce.'
This alludes to an unavailing attempt, to fix a price on labor,
provisions, and all kinds of commodities, by legislative enactments.
In the preceding year, the general court had passed, from the best
of motives, ' an act to prevent monopoly and oppression,' and the
towns of Newbury and Newburyport, had, in pursuance of this act,
adopted and published a scale of prices, affixed to" all the articles
they had for sale, and also all kinds of labor. These prices were
never to be exceeded. No imported goods, except hemp and war-
like stores, should be sold at more than two hundred and fifty pounds
sterling, on one hundred pounds prime cost, and no retailer should
make an advance of more than twenty per centum on the wholesale
price. All these regulations, were, of course, entirely futile, as they
could not be enforced. They were therefore abandoned. The
price of cotton, for instance, was established at ' three shillings per
pound by the bag and three shillings and eightpence by the single
pound. Barbers, once shaving threepence. Dinner boiled and
roasted without wine one shilling and sixpence. Supper or break-
fast one shilling. Lodging fourpence/ A pound of cotton, would,
at this time, purchase two dinners, one night's lodging, once shaving,
and leave one penny overplus. How. many pounds of cotton would
it take now, 1845, to procure the same amount ?
December 9th. Thanksgiving in all the states.^'
December 15th. Earthquake very loud abou' half past eleven
o'clock.^
Some time this year, a wolf came into captain Israel and Liphe
Adams's yard, and killed five sheep. He was killed by Moses Ad-
ams. No wolf has since been seen in Newbury.
1780.
The winter of 1780, was unusually severe. For forty days, thirty-
one of which were the month of March, there was no perceptible
thaw on the southerly side of any house, and so deep and hard was
the snow, that loaded teams passed over walls and fences, in any
direction.
March. The constitution of Massachusetts was framed. The
first article in the declaration of rights, is, < all men are born free
and equal.' This was inserted, with the intent, and for the purpose,
of entirely abolishing slavery. Prior to the revolution, several slaves
* S. Horton's journal.
HISTORY OF NEWBURY. 257
had sued their masters for detaining them in slavery, one in Cam-
bridge, in 1770, and one in Newburyport, Caesar against his master,
Richa 
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